Democrats in the United States have issued strong condemnations of two Republican members of Congress who, following a mass shooting in Australia, called for a ban on Muslims entering the country and the deportation of those already residing there.
Extreme Rhetoric from Republican Legislators
The controversy centres on comments from Congressman Randy Fine, a Florida Republican, and Senator Tommy Tuberville from Alabama. In posts on the social media platform X, both lawmakers escalated anti-Muslim rhetoric, linking it to international violence.
Fine declared that "diversity has become suicidal" and explicitly called for "a Muslim travel ban, radical deportations of all mainstream Muslim legal and illegal immigrants, and citizenship revocations wherever possible." He argued that "mainstream Muslims have declared war on us."
Similarly, Senator Tuberville described Islam as a "cult," asserted Muslims are "here to conquer," and warned that America must "SEND THEM HOME NOW or we’ll become the United Caliphate of America."
Widespread Condemnation and Designation as Bigots
The response from Democratic officials and civil rights advocates was swift and severe. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair) designated Tuberville as an "anti-Muslim bigot," marking the first time the organisation has applied this label to a sitting US senator. Cair had previously given the same designation to Congressman Fine.
Prominent Democrats voiced their outrage. New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez labelled Fine's posts as "disgusting," stating that Muslim Americans are not scapegoats. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called Tuberville's comments "an outrageous, disgusting display of islamophobia," while Senators Patty Murray and Chris Murphy also issued strong rebukes.
Journalist Mehdi Hasan criticised Democratic leadership, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, for not responding forcefully enough to Fine's statements.
A Context of Rising Anti-Muslim Sentiment
These remarks are not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern. Fine has a history of Islamophobic posts, having previously called for Gaza to be destroyed and labelled Congresswoman Ilhan Omar a "Muslim terrorist." Tuberville has also celebrated when a Muslim school decided not to relocate in Alabama.
The rhetoric aligns with a resurgence of anti-Muslim commentary on the political right. Former President Donald Trump, who instituted a travel ban on several Muslim-majority countries in 2017, has recently targeted Somalis. Furthermore, Texas Representative Brandon Gill stated in November that "Islam is incompatible with our culture" and questioned why Muslims are allowed to immigrate.
Despite invitations from Alabama Muslims to visit a local mosque and engage in dialogue, Senator Tuberville has declined, opting instead to intensify his rhetoric. In response to Cair's designation, he called it a "badge of honour" and vowed to continue fighting for "AMERICANS and our Constitutional values."
