Muslim American groups have accused Republican lawmakers of weaponizing congressional hearings against Muslim minorities by stoking fear, amid a series of hearings titled to promote a "sharia-free" America.
Background of the Hearings
On February 6, 2026, US Representatives Keith Self and Chip Roy, both from Texas, hosted the inaugural press conference of the Sharia-Free America Caucus in Washington D.C. This was followed by a House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, titled "Sharia-Free America: Why Political Islam and Sharia Law are Incompatible with the US Constitution." A similar hearing was also held in February.
Republican Stance
Republicans, who hold a majority in both chambers of Congress, argue that these hearings aim to protect the US Constitution. Representative Chip Roy stated, "The radicals pushing political Islam do not want to coexist with America's culture and political order. They want to replace it."
Criticism from Muslim Groups
Critics contend that such hearings single out Muslims for ridicule, revive conspiracy theories, and are unnecessary because American laws already prevail on US soil. Sharia, a set of legal and moral principles interpreted differently across the faith, does not enjoy wide support among American Muslims for implementation in the US. There is no evidence that any mainstream US Muslim group has advocated for imposing sharia on the United States.
The US Council of Muslim Organizations, representing over 50 Muslim groups, condemned what it called the "weaponization of government against American Muslims" and accused the hearings of engaging in "the politics of fear." Zainab Chaudry, Maryland director of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), stated: "Anti-Sharia hearings are not about protecting the Constitution. They are about demonizing Islam and portraying Muslim Americans as perpetual outsiders."
Political Reactions
Democratic US Representative Jamie Raskin, ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, dismissed the hearings as a distraction and an attack on religious liberty.
Rising Islamophobia
US rights advocates have noted rising Islamophobia, attributing it to the September 11, 2001 attacks, anti-immigration policies, white supremacy, and the fallout of Israel's war in Gaza. CAIR reported 8,683 anti-Muslim and anti-Arab complaints in the US in 2025, the highest since it began publishing data in 1996.
A study in April by the Center for the Study of Organized Hate think tank found that anti-Muslim bigotry by Republican elected officials has surged since early 2025, citing over 1,100 online posts by Republican members of Congress and governors. Republican governors in Florida and Texas have labeled CAIR, which has opposed President Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration and pro-Palestinian protests, as a "terrorist" group. CAIR and other civil rights groups have denounced these claims.
