Chip Roy Leads House Judiciary Committee Hearing On 'Sharia-Free America'

[0:06] It's the very foundation of our Constitution, our legal system, and our way of life in serious peril. [0:11] In February, this committee held a hearing on this topic, warning of the threat and incompatibility [0:15] Sharia law poses to the American people. [0:18] This Congress should routinely re-examine the existential threat facing our republic [0:21] and how to counter its spread into our social, societal, and political systems. [0:26] The principles of Sharia law undermine the cherished freedoms that countless Americans have suffered [0:30] and even died for since our nation's founding. [0:33] Let's remind ourselves what Sharia law and political Islam entail. [0:36] Political Islam silences dissent, prohibits religious freedom, allows barbaric punishments, [0:42] and treats women, children, and non-Muslims as second-class citizens. [0:46] What's more, Sharia law and political Islam sanction honor killings for adultery, [0:50] death for individuals leaving the Islamic faith, encourages polygamy for men regardless of the women's age, [0:56] allows female non-Muslims to be taken as sex slaves in war, [0:59] and permits corporal punishment like stoning and female genital mutilation for perceived violations. [1:05] In fact, the central sacred scripture of Islamic observers, the Koran, [1:09] has several martial calls that encourage its followers to wage war, [1:13] not just spiritual, against and conquer non-Muslims. [1:17] So when you clash with the unbelievers, smite their necks until you overpower them, [1:21] then hold them in bondage, then either free them graciously or after taking a ransom, [1:26] until war shall have come to an end. [1:28] Surah 47.4 [1:29] It is not a religious code or belief system. [1:32] It is a repressive legal regime that betrays America's founding principles [1:36] and threatens our Constitution. [1:38] In fact, it seeks to replace it. [1:40] America was founded on the basic concept of individual freedom and self-governance [1:44] under the rule of law of a just and moral law. [1:47] As John Adams succinctly put it, [1:49] our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. [1:53] It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. [1:55] And to my colleagues who may conflate critiquing Islam and Sharia [1:58] as undermining the First Amendment rights of Muslims, [2:01] I remind them of the following. [2:03] People do not have protection from imposing a foreign legal system [2:06] or code that overrides or replaces U.S. civil or criminal law, [2:10] nor the Constitution. [2:12] The Constitution begins with we the people. [2:15] Sharia is the legal code for Islam [2:17] and is taught to its observers to be abided by and enforced. [2:21] As Robert Jackson, an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court, [2:24] who also served as the chief United States prosecutor at the Nuremberg trials, [2:28] elucidated succinctly how liberty-crushing Sharia was, [2:32] the antithesis of Western law. [2:34] Quote, [2:35] Islamic law offers the American lawyer a study in dramatic contrast. [2:39] Its striking features relative to our law are not likenesses, [2:42] but inconsistencies in its source, its scope, and its sanctions. [2:46] The law of the Middle East is the antithesis of Western law. [2:50] He was right then, and he would be right today. [2:54] The radicals pushing political Islam do not want to coexist with America's culture and political order. [2:59] They want to replace it. [3:01] But you do not need to take my word for it. [3:03] Islamists have stated this clearly themselves. [3:05] Violent jihadist Sayyid Kutab, a thought leader of modern jihadists and spiritual mentor for Osama bin Laden, [3:13] led the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and surmised Sharia in his book, Milestones, as follows. [3:19] In Islam, the meaning of the Sharia is not limited to mere legal injunctions, [3:22] but includes the principles of administration, its system, its modes. [3:25] He said, by the Sharia of God has meant everything legislated by God for ordering man's life. [3:31] Additionally, the Muslim Brotherhood motto reads, [3:34] Allah is our objective, the Prophet is our leader, the Quran is our law, jihad is our way, [3:39] dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope. [3:43] Even groups like the Council on American Islamic Relations, also known as CARE, [3:47] which masquerades as a peaceful non-profit advocating for U.S. Muslims in Islam, [3:51] has a sordid history of collaborating with bad actors, terror groups, and forcing Sharia in America. [3:57] Omar Ahmad, the co-founder and longtime board chairman of CARE, [4:00] said of Islam and its role in America, [4:02] quote, [4:03] Islam isn't in America to be equal to any other faith, but to become dominant. [4:07] The Quran should be the highest authority in America, [4:10] and Islam the only accepted religion on earth. [4:13] Just as concerning, CARE was named as an unindicted co-conspirator [4:16] in the 2007 Holy Land Foundation terrorism financing trial. [4:20] On appeal, United States District Court Judge Jorge Solas upheld CARE's co-conspirator status [4:26] and ruled that the Department of Justice, quote, [4:28] produced ample evidence of CARE's association with Hamas. [4:33] A founding member of CARE's Texas chapter, Ghassan Alashi, [4:37] was found guilty in 2009 of money laundering, tax fraud, [4:40] and providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization [4:43] and sentenced to 65 years in prison. [4:47] What's more is that CARE has long been suspected of harboring ties to the Muslim Brotherhood in Hamas. [4:51] The terrorist group responsible for the barbaric October 7, 2023 attacks [4:56] against our friend and ally Israel. [4:59] The threat posed by political Islam and Sharia law is not some faraway concern. [5:04] We can look at Europe to see what happens when nations allow themselves to be invaded [5:07] and let political Islam infiltrate their society. [5:10] In France, a recent poll found that 44% of Muslims think compliance with Islamic rules [5:15] is more important than compliance with French laws. [5:18] In the United Kingdom, Muslims are increasingly turning to Sharia courts [5:22] to settle disputes rather than the UK's legal system. [5:25] There are now 85 Sharia law courts operating in the country. [5:28] In the United Kingdom, Mohammed is now the number one most popular baby name in the country. [5:33] And in Germany, Mohammed is the most popular baby name [5:35] among people receiving government welfare. [5:37] Over the past few years, Sharia-based legal institutions have taken root in American communities. [5:43] And nowhere is this problem worse than in my home state of Texas. [5:46] Fueled by decades of an unsecured border and expansionist legal immigration policies, [5:51] Texas has seen a sharp increase in immigration from the Muslim world, [5:55] with many immigrants trying everything they can to bring Sharia with them. [5:59] According to a 2026 report by the Middle East Forum, [6:01] there are approximately 650 Islamic non-profit organizations based in Texas. [6:06] And we can see the results. [6:09] The Kalam Institute, a D.O. Vandy institution, [6:12] and the leading Islamic seminary in America is based in Carrollton, Texas. [6:16] Its leaders have been called American society filth, [6:19] have advocated for the killing of apostates, [6:21] and have supported the taking of sex slaves. [6:24] In Houston, the South Asian Islamist movement [6:26] operates a powerful and extensive network [6:28] that works in direct coordination with the Pakistani regime [6:31] and Kashmiri terror operatives. [6:34] An Iranian regime, known as the Kalamanias, [6:36] operates several mosques in Texas [6:38] and supports a number of pro-terror activist groups. [6:41] In 2024, members of Plano Mosque [6:43] tried to create their own Islamic enclave [6:45] governed by Sharia law within the state of Texas, [6:48] and they called it Epic City. [6:50] Thankfully, office holders, activists, and private citizens [6:53] mobilized to try to stop Epic City from advancing for the time being. [6:57] However, as much of a problem Epic City poses, [7:01] Sharia has spread to other parts of Texas, [7:02] attempting to transform the existing legal, [7:05] cultural, and societal structures of these communities. [7:07] For example, in January, Texas Tech medical student, [7:10] Muhammad Al-Taba, whose father is a Syrian imam [7:14] and ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, [7:16] bought the Ahmet Elementary School campus, [7:19] an abandoned school in Lubbock, [7:20] and converted into the gleaming Unity Center mosque in 45 days. [7:24] In March, taxpayer-funded school buses from Humble ISD [7:27] took more than 30 students from Kingwood [7:29] to the Islamist Spanish Centro-Islamico in Houston, [7:36] a controversial Dawah Center [7:37] that glorifies the Islamic conquest of Spain [7:39] and claims Latinos' roots are in Muslim Spain [7:42] and seeks to shape the next generation [7:45] to view Islam favorably as part of a two-front strategy [7:47] to expand Sharia's influence in America. [7:50] Also in March, a report surfaced [7:51] that the Islamic Center of Haltham City, Texas, [7:54] had acquired and repurposed [7:55] the former Christ Way Bible Church, [7:57] a long-standing Christian site in Texas. [7:59] The church was purchased [8:00] by Mulg Kura Islamic Foundation, [8:03] which according to their own announcements, [8:05] aims to transform this traditional church [8:07] into a vibrant Islamic center [8:08] that will serve our community for generations to come. [8:11] And just last month, [8:12] in Richardson, Texas, [8:13] opened Al Amira Plaza, [8:15] a 125,000 square foot office complex [8:18] that now functions as a one-stop parallel society [8:21] where Muslims can fulfill every daily need [8:23] under strict Sharia-compliant rules [8:25] with zero pressure to integrate [8:27] into the surrounding American culture. [8:29] I could list more examples for hours. [8:31] Just as alarming, [8:33] shadow Islamic courts have popped up across Texas. [8:35] One Dallas tribunal purports [8:37] to render final judgments on disputes [8:39] in accordance with Islamic jurisprudence, [8:41] placing Sharia law above both state and federal law. [8:43] Both these attempted community transformations [8:46] and these Islamic courts [8:48] run counter to Texas values [8:49] and are repugnant to the American Constitution [8:51] and our system of laws. [8:53] The Islamification of American society [8:55] is not just happening in Texas. [8:57] America has also seen a concerning resurgence [8:59] in violent Islamic terrorism. [9:01] Since the last hearing on this topic in February, [9:04] there have been four Islamic terrorist attacks [9:05] in a three-month span, [9:07] including a naturalized citizen, [9:08] originally from Sierra Leone, [9:10] with a prior conviction for attempting to aid ISIS [9:12] opening fire at Old Dominion University's campus [9:14] while yelling, [9:16] Al-Akbar, [9:17] killing someone during the attack. [9:19] The same day as the ODU attack, [9:21] a Lebanese-born naturalized American citizen [9:23] rammed his vehicle [9:24] into the Temple Israel synagogue [9:25] and preschool in West Bloomfield, Michigan [9:28] in an allegedly targeted attack [9:30] against the Jewish community, [9:31] causing a fire [9:32] and injuring on-site security personnel. [9:35] Two suspects with stated allegiance to ISIS [9:37] attempted to detonate [9:38] two improvised explosive devices [9:40] near the New York City mayor's residence on Manhattan. [9:43] Both suspects' parents [9:44] immigrated to the U.S. [9:45] from the terror-prone countries [9:46] of Turkey and Afghanistan. [9:48] And in my home in Austin, [9:49] a naturalized citizen, [9:50] originally from Mauritania, [9:52] motivated by extremist ideologies, [9:54] opened fire on a crowd in Austin, Texas, [9:55] killing three people [9:56] and injuring several others [9:57] before being stopped by law enforcement, [10:00] all while wearing a hoodie [10:01] with the caption, [10:02] Property of Allah. [10:03] None of these strategies needed to happen. [10:05] Between our overly generous [10:07] and lax legal immigration policies [10:08] that allowed these attackers [10:09] to enter the country in the first place [10:11] and our lack of adequate response [10:13] to stopping Islamist ideology in its tracks, [10:15] our nation remains vulnerable [10:17] to Sharia law [10:17] and potential terrorist attacks it could wreak. [10:20] For too long, politicians, [10:21] scared of being called Islamophobic, [10:23] have failed to stop the spread of Sharia law [10:25] and refused to put an end [10:26] to the ceaseless immigration [10:27] from the world of people who adhere to it. [10:30] How many more Americans must die [10:32] or succumb to Sharia law [10:33] before we address this critical threat [10:34] to our safety and our way of life? [10:36] I've outlined much of what has happened [10:38] related to Sharia in the three months [10:39] since we had the last hearing in this issue. [10:41] We cannot wait any longer [10:42] to take meaningful and decisive action. [10:44] I believe American citizens [10:45] are worth protecting. [10:47] America's Judeo-Christian principles [10:48] upon which this country were founded [10:50] is worth defending. [10:52] And America's founding principles [10:53] generally are worth preserving. [10:55] We must act now to stop Sharia law [10:56] and the threat that it poses [10:57] to our nation and our Constitution. [11:00] I now recognize the ranking member, [11:01] Ms. Scanlon, for her opening statement. [11:05] Thank you. [11:05] This is the second time this year [11:09] that this subcommittee has been convened [11:12] to hold a hearing about Sharia law, [11:15] which unsurprisingly doesn't even rank [11:17] on the list of top 10 issues [11:19] keeping Americans up at night. [11:22] Actually, it doesn't appear to be an issue [11:23] anywhere in this country except in Texas, [11:25] where Republican politicians [11:27] are so desperate to distract voters [11:30] from their disastrous economy [11:32] and surging gas prices. [11:34] Because as one Republican strategist said, [11:37] these candidates don't want to be talking [11:39] about the economy right now. [11:41] So they've made up a conspiracy theory [11:44] about their Muslim neighbors [11:45] in order to scare and motivate voters. [11:48] But repeating lies over and over and over again [11:52] doesn't make them true. [11:54] And it doesn't make unconstitutional bigotry legal. [11:57] The last time the subcommittee convened on this topic, [12:02] I wondered if our colleagues actually believed [12:04] their own hysterical and wildly unsubstantiated claims [12:08] about people of the Muslim faith [12:09] trying to impose so-called Sharia law [12:11] on the United States. [12:14] But as before, [12:15] they're not producing one ounce of proof [12:18] to vindicate their fear-mongering. [12:21] Tellingly, they've also not produced [12:23] a single Muslim witness or expert [12:25] on Islam or Sharia law. [12:29] And now the only thing that's changed [12:30] between the last hearing and now [12:32] is that Texas's fiercely contested Republican primaries [12:35] have moved into runoff elections, [12:37] now just under two weeks away. [12:39] So in Texas, [12:40] this issue continues to be a flashpoint [12:43] for Republican, federal, state, and local candidates [12:46] as they desperately compete with one another [12:49] over who can be toughest [12:50] against their Sharia law fantasy. [12:55] It's a threat based not on reality, [12:58] but invented with manufactured alarm. [13:01] Because like belief systems [13:03] that guide adherents of other faiths, [13:04] including Christianity or Judaism, [13:07] Sharia is about individual, [13:09] personal religious observance, [13:11] not about shaping America's national laws. [13:14] And contrary to the misleading claims [13:16] that have been offered here, [13:18] there's no evidence of any plot [13:20] to impose Sharia law on non-believers of Islam. [13:24] It's just not happening. [13:27] No matter how many right-wing influencers [13:29] make videos about it, [13:31] no matter how many Texas laws are passed to combat it, [13:34] or what legislation is introduced here in D.C. [13:38] with flashy acronyms decrying it, [13:40] there's no evidence [13:42] that a proposed real estate development [13:44] in the Dallas suburbs, [13:45] which was initiated by members of the area's [13:48] growing Muslim population, [13:49] is a Sharia compound, [13:50] as Texas Republicans have claimed. [13:53] To say otherwise [13:54] is to spread blatant misinformation. [13:58] In fact, even the Trump Justice Department [14:00] closed an investigation into the development, [14:02] finding no basis [14:04] for any violation of fair housing laws. [14:08] Politicians standing up against [14:10] made-up threats of Sharia law incursions [14:12] are shamefully scapegoating [14:14] Muslim Americans for political gain, [14:17] without any care for how many people [14:19] end up as collateral damage [14:21] to this kind of rhetoric. [14:22] Because these culture wars, [14:24] including desperate political stunts [14:26] like scapegoating followers of Islam, [14:29] have real-world consequences. [14:32] Words matter. [14:33] And stirring up hatred and bigotry, [14:36] when that happens, [14:37] real people are put at risk. [14:39] Hate crimes against Muslims in particular [14:42] have increased. [14:42] In cynically playing on division [14:45] to win an election, [14:47] Republicans sacrifice the safety [14:49] of the very Americans [14:50] they're supposed to be trying to represent. [14:53] The fact is, in this country, [14:54] you can't ban a person's right [14:56] to practice Islam [14:57] any more than you could ban [14:58] a person's practice of Christianity, [15:01] Judaism, [15:01] or the decision to practice [15:03] no religion at all. [15:05] Our Constitution, [15:06] and particularly the First Amendment, [15:08] which was central to its adoption in 1787, [15:11] remains clear. [15:11] In this country, [15:13] people have the right to hold [15:15] and express whatever religious beliefs [15:17] they choose, [15:18] or none at all. [15:20] And despite the arguments [15:21] we're hearing from our Republican colleagues, [15:23] we know that from our Republic's earliest days, [15:27] Muslims were intended to be included [15:28] within the fabric of American life. [15:31] Thomas Jefferson specifically referenced [15:33] followers of Islam, [15:34] among other faiths, [15:35] in his writings about the passage [15:37] of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom in 1786, [15:40] which was one of his proudest achievements [15:43] and the First Amendment's precursor. [15:45] This is a core component of our Constitution [15:48] that's particularly valued [15:49] in my home state of Pennsylvania, [15:51] which was founded by William Penn [15:53] to promote religious freedom [15:55] and where the Constitution was written. [15:58] For hundreds of years, [16:00] Pennsylvania has been home [16:01] to people of many faiths and denominations, [16:04] including Protestants, Catholics, Jews, [16:06] Evangelicals, Quakers, Muslims, Sikhs, [16:07] and people of no faith at all. [16:11] In my district, [16:11] we have a growing cultural center, [16:13] Africatown, [16:14] founded by immigrants turned citizens, [16:15] many of whom are Muslim, [16:17] and who have made huge contributions [16:19] to our economic, cultural, [16:21] charitable, and civic life. [16:23] One of our most cherished American values [16:26] is that you don't have to agree [16:28] with your neighbor's beliefs, [16:29] but no one can use the power of the government [16:32] to punish or discriminate against those who do. [16:34] And since this is the Constitution subcommittee, [16:38] any of my colleagues who find [16:40] that principle suspicious or foreign [16:42] should probably take another look [16:44] at the First Amendment [16:44] and the oath they took [16:46] to support and defend the Constitution. [16:49] Unfortunately, over and over again, [16:50] we've seen this White House [16:52] and its Republican allies in Congress [16:53] try to use the power of the federal government [16:55] to spy on and target Americans [16:58] whose opinions and beliefs they don't like, [17:01] whether those are religious, [17:02] political, or otherwise. [17:03] But Americans know, [17:05] we know at our core, [17:07] that if the government can go after one group, [17:09] it can go after all of us. [17:11] And that's why people have shown up, [17:13] stood up, and spoken out [17:15] about this kind of activity. [17:17] Instead of trying to score political points [17:19] at the expense of innocent people, [17:21] I wish our Republican colleagues [17:23] would focus on making Americans' lives better [17:25] instead of going along with this administration [17:28] when it starts tariff wars, [17:30] which have driven up the price of housing, [17:32] cars, and consumer goods, [17:34] or slashing programs [17:35] that Americans rely on [17:36] for better health care, [17:38] housing, energy, and nutrition, [17:40] and starting foreign wars [17:42] that have put Americans in danger, [17:44] driven up the cost of gas, [17:46] or making attacks on basic liberties [17:49] like free speech, free press, [17:51] the right to peaceful protest, [17:52] or, in this hearing, freedom of religion. [17:55] We should be uniting behind [17:58] these fundamental principles [17:59] that make this country actually great, [18:02] not fueling division [18:04] by going after our fellow Americans [18:06] with trumped-up charges, [18:08] going after our family, [18:10] our friends, our neighbors, [18:11] and casting them as the enemy. [18:14] So I'm hopeful that we won't have [18:17] a third round of this pointless hearing, [18:19] but with that, I yield back. [18:22] I now recognize the chairman [18:23] of the full committee, [18:24] Mr. Jordan, for his opening statement. [18:25] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. [18:26] The chairman of the ranking member [18:27] talked about this is, you know, [18:28] conspiracy theory and fear-mongering. [18:30] It's anything but. [18:31] This is looking at a real concern, [18:33] and I appreciate the chairman doing that. [18:34] But if we want to talk about [18:35] conspiracy theory and fear-mongering, [18:36] look no further than [18:37] the Southern Poverty Law Center. [18:39] And the full committee will have a hearing [18:41] on that issue next week. [18:43] They were running a scam. [18:45] They were paying people. [18:47] One person, one source, [18:49] they paid over a million dollars [18:51] to promote and create the hate [18:52] that they told their donors [18:53] they were actually fighting. [18:55] What an operation they were running. [18:57] You talk about fear-mongering [18:58] and conspiracy theory, [18:59] there you have it. [19:01] And we'll be looking [19:01] at this issue next week. [19:02] The Biden Justice Department [19:03] used the Southern Poverty Law Center [19:05] to train prosecutors, [19:06] setting them up as the standard [19:07] for evaluating what's a hate group, [19:09] what's not. [19:10] So if you want to talk about [19:12] conspiracy theory and fear-mongering, [19:13] we'll get to that. [19:14] That's all happening on the left. [19:17] And the prime example [19:18] is the organization [19:19] that is now being investigated [19:21] by the Department of Justice. [19:23] So I appreciate the chairman [19:25] and the work he's doing [19:26] on this important issue, [19:27] particularly in his state of Texas, [19:29] and look forward to hearing [19:29] from our witnesses [19:30] and thank them for being here today. [19:32] And with that, I yield back. [19:34] I thank Chairman Jordan. [19:35] I now recognize the ranking member [19:36] of the full committee, [19:37] Mr. Raskin, for his opening statement. [19:38] Mr. Chairman, thank you. [19:39] And thanks to our witnesses. [19:40] Forgive me, [19:41] but didn't we have this exact same hearing [19:43] not that long ago? [19:44] I think it's the fourth or fifth [19:46] in the line. [19:48] And I can't believe [19:49] that the cupboard of Republican ideas [19:51] is so barren now [19:52] that in order to distract America [19:55] from Donald Trump's illegal, [19:57] unconstitutional, ruinous war [20:00] and his ruinous, illegal, [20:02] unconstitutional tariffs [20:03] and the spiraling price of gasoline [20:07] and the unlivable economy he's created, [20:10] that we have to go back [20:10] and have this exact same hearing [20:13] over and over again. [20:14] Couldn't we come up [20:14] with something else instead? [20:16] It's not exactly working [20:17] to reverse Donald Trump's precipitous slide [20:21] into being the most unpopular history, [20:24] the most unpopular president [20:26] in American history [20:27] because that's where we are. [20:28] So if we're going to have [20:29] another religious convocation, [20:31] perhaps next time it could be [20:33] a debate between Donald Trump [20:35] dressed up perhaps like Jesus Christ [20:38] and the Pope of the Catholic Church [20:40] so the Pope can answer [20:41] Trump's recent accusation [20:43] that he's weak on crime. [20:45] I never got that charge. [20:47] After all, [20:47] Trump himself is a convicted felon [20:49] who's pardoned more than 1,600 rioters, [20:52] insurrectionists, proud boys, [20:53] oath keepers, domestic abusers, [20:55] child molesters, white-collar fraudsters [20:58] and international narco traffickers [20:59] and drug dealers [21:00] and the Pope is certainly not weak on him. [21:03] The Pope has made his views [21:04] on Donald Trump perfectly clear [21:05] so I don't understand [21:06] why Trump is saying [21:08] that the Pope is weak on crime. [21:10] Anyway, I had this idea [21:12] I wanted to float by my colleagues [21:13] to perhaps create [21:15] some legislative progress [21:16] in this field. [21:17] The Republicans are afraid [21:18] that Muslims are going to impose [21:20] Sharia law on the rest of the population. [21:24] Now, I'm not so afraid of that [21:25] because we have 535 members of Congress [21:27] and only four of them are Muslim [21:29] which makes it extremely unlikely [21:31] how could less than 1% of Congress [21:33] impose Sharia law on the other 99%? [21:36] And what's even more reassuring [21:37] is I actually know [21:39] some of these Muslim Americans [21:41] who happen to be in Congress [21:42] and they're all civil libertarians [21:44] who stand up for the separation [21:46] of church and state. [21:47] But even if they changed their minds [21:49] and convinced all the Christians, [21:51] Jews, Hindus, and free thinkers [21:52] in Congress [21:53] who are 99% in the House [21:54] to vote for Sharia law [21:56] I'm sure someone on the Senate side [21:58] where there are no Muslims at all [22:00] would put a hold on it [22:01] like everything else [22:02] that we send over there. [22:04] So I'm a pretty good vote counter [22:05] and I don't think [22:06] that there would be a single vote [22:07] to establish Sharia law [22:09] in the United States Congress [22:10] or in any state of the Union. [22:12] But anyway, I had this idea [22:13] to take advantage of the fact [22:15] that we all agree on this point. [22:17] Why don't we generalize [22:19] the proposition [22:19] of this anti-Sharia law movement [22:22] to say that the government [22:24] should not be endorsing [22:25] or establishing any religion [22:27] in America [22:28] whether it's Islam, Christianity, [22:30] Judaism, Jews for Jesus, [22:32] Seventh-day Adventism, [22:33] Jehovah's Witnesses, [22:34] Mormonism, fundamental Mormonism, [22:38] Unitarian Universalism, [22:39] Branch Davidianism, [22:41] or Hare Krishna. [22:42] I was playing with some language [22:44] and I came up with this rough cut, [22:45] Mr. Chairman. [22:46] It goes like this. [22:47] Congress shall make no law [22:49] respecting an establishment [22:51] of religion [22:52] or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. [22:55] What do you think about that? [22:56] You think that covers it? [22:57] We could call the first part [22:58] the establishment clause. [23:00] We could call the second part [23:01] the free exercise clause. [23:03] I know we could get that [23:04] through the Democratic caucus. [23:05] You think we could get it [23:06] through the Republican conference? [23:08] I'm not sure. [23:09] I hope so. [23:10] The problem is that [23:11] we've got theocrats out there [23:13] across the religious spectrum [23:15] who want to elevate [23:16] their own religious creeds [23:18] and dogmas above the Constitution [23:20] and establish them [23:21] over the secular law. [23:23] Take, for example, [23:24] what the Texas and Louisiana [23:25] legislatures recently did. [23:27] They voted to endorse [23:28] the Ten Commandments [23:29] and post the Ten Commandments [23:30] in every public school classroom [23:32] in their states. [23:34] I didn't even know [23:34] that was necessary [23:35] because I thought [23:35] the Ten Commandments [23:36] were doing all right [23:37] after millennia. [23:37] I didn't know they needed [23:38] an endorsement [23:39] from the Republican conference, [23:41] but they went ahead [23:42] and did that. [23:43] Now they want to have votes [23:44] in every state legislature [23:46] to endorse the Ten Commandments [23:48] and to post the Ten Commandments. [23:50] I'm opposed to that [23:51] because of the provision [23:52] in the Constitution, [23:53] Article 6, Clause 3, [23:54] which says there shall be [23:55] no religious tests [23:56] for public office. [23:58] That sounds like [23:58] a religious test [23:59] when you round up [24:00] all the politicians [24:00] and you ask them to vote [24:02] on the Ten Commandments. [24:04] And by the way, [24:05] if we are going to vote [24:06] on the Ten Commandments, [24:06] Mr. Chairman, [24:07] I do not support [24:08] that omnibus Republican package. [24:10] I think we should have to vote [24:11] on each commandment separately. [24:14] And I don't think [24:14] that you should be able [24:16] to vote for any commandment [24:17] you yourself have ever violated [24:19] because then we'll be taking [24:20] the name of the Lord in vain. [24:22] So, you know, [24:24] one politician I spoke to [24:26] on the floor about this, [24:27] he said that, you know, [24:30] that the Ten Commandments [24:33] are the basis [24:33] for the Bill of Rights. [24:34] He kind of confused me [24:35] there for a second. [24:36] I said, well, I do know [24:37] that there are ten in each one. [24:39] That's true. [24:40] But let's test the proposition. [24:42] The First Commandment says, [24:43] thou shall have [24:44] no other God before me. [24:45] The First Amendment says, [24:47] Congress shall make no law [24:48] respecting an establishment [24:49] of religion. [24:50] It's hard to see [24:50] how the First Commandment [24:52] dictates the First Amendment. [24:55] So, is Sharia law [24:59] incompatible with the Constitution [25:01] as the title of the hearing is? [25:02] Sure. [25:03] And so is legislating [25:04] any other religious text. [25:07] The Ten Commandments, [25:08] the Torah, [25:08] or the Analects of Confucius, [25:10] or whatever. [25:11] Any religious scripture [25:12] or body. [25:13] The whole point [25:14] of our First Amendment [25:15] is that people can go believe [25:16] whatever they want. [25:17] The government's not going [25:18] to dictate to you [25:19] what your religious worship [25:20] and practice are going to be. [25:23] The government is out of it. [25:26] So, I did not write [25:27] that language, to be clear. [25:28] James Madison wrote that language. [25:30] He took care of [25:31] your whole anti-Sharia law [25:33] centuries ago. [25:36] This is a complete waste of time. [25:38] And he had the right idea. [25:40] Madison would be appalled [25:41] that the Fifth Circuit Court [25:43] of Appeals just voted [25:44] nine to eight [25:45] to uphold the compulsory [25:47] Ten Commandments display [25:48] in every school classroom [25:50] in Texas or Louisiana. [25:53] If Louisiana can do that, [25:54] it can compel display [25:56] of the five pillars of Islam. [25:57] Think about that. [25:58] You really want to head [25:59] down that road? [26:01] The states could force display [26:03] of the ten precepts [26:04] of Buddhism, [26:05] the Analects of Confucius, [26:07] or the five principles [26:08] of Hinduism, [26:09] if you can put up [26:10] the Ten Commandments. [26:10] And by the way, [26:11] the Ten Commandments [26:12] doesn't exist [26:14] as one commonly agreed upon [26:16] body of law. [26:18] If you go online, [26:19] you'll find like [26:20] ten or fifteen different versions [26:22] of the Ten Commandments. [26:24] There's a Catholic version, [26:25] there's a Lutheran version, [26:27] there's a Jewish version, [26:28] a Baptist version, [26:29] Mennonite, and so on. [26:30] You can, you know, [26:31] if you can compel display [26:34] of ten of them, [26:34] you can compel display [26:35] of all of them. [26:36] There could be [26:37] a hundred commandments. [26:38] There could be [26:38] a hundred and fifty commandments. [26:40] So look, my friends, [26:41] we don't need [26:42] an anti-Sharia law law [26:44] or an anti-Christian law law [26:46] or an anti-Jewish law law [26:48] or an anti-Hindu law law. [26:50] We've already got one [26:51] forbidding the imposition [26:52] of any religious orthodoxy, [26:55] forbidding the endorsement [26:56] of any religious orthodoxy. [26:57] It's called the First Amendment [26:59] and everybody should [27:00] familiarize themselves with it [27:02] because this is a complete [27:03] waste of time [27:04] we're doing here. [27:05] The government cannot establish, [27:07] prefer, legislate, [27:08] coerce, impose, [27:09] or endorse any religious doctrine. [27:12] And we don't need [27:13] a special law [27:14] or a special caucus [27:15] to do that. [27:17] And if my friends [27:18] understand that, [27:18] then I think they will [27:20] reverse course on this movement [27:21] unless the purpose [27:22] of the movement is just [27:23] to demonize and vilify [27:25] not a religion, [27:27] but adherence of the religion. [27:29] But then I would have to believe [27:30] that my colleagues [27:31] are actually out [27:32] just attacking Muslims, [27:34] attacking Muslim Americans, [27:36] criticizing and vilifying them [27:37] for their beliefs [27:38] or their way of life. [27:39] And I don't want to, [27:40] I don't want to believe that. [27:41] But I do challenge my friends [27:43] to state one thing [27:45] that an anti-Sharia law [27:48] would do [27:49] that the First Amendment [27:52] doesn't already do. [27:54] Tell me one thing [27:55] that we would need [27:55] to legislate [27:56] that's not already [27:57] taken care of [27:58] by the Establishment Clause [28:00] or the Free Exercise Clause. [28:02] The real threat [28:03] to our Constitution [28:04] comes not from adherence [28:06] of a particular religion, [28:07] but from turning our backs [28:09] on the Constitution [28:10] and the First Amendment. [28:12] Our freedoms [28:12] are not under siege [28:13] by a religious minority [28:15] trying to build [28:15] a community center, [28:17] but they are undermined [28:18] by lawmakers [28:18] who would want to turn [28:20] Americans against each other [28:22] on a religious basis. [28:23] And is it true [28:24] that religious fanatics [28:25] commit violent criminal acts? [28:27] Absolutely. [28:30] I mean, you talk [28:30] to any secular free thinker [28:32] and they will say [28:32] that every religion [28:34] has produced religious fanatics [28:36] who have committed violence. [28:37] Take, for example, [28:39] Timothy McVeigh, [28:40] who was part [28:41] of the Christian Identity Church, [28:43] the Christian Identity Movement, [28:44] trained on racism [28:46] and anti-Semitism. [28:47] He blew up [28:47] the Oklahoma Federal Building [28:49] in 1995. [28:50] 167 people killed, [28:52] 684 wounded. [28:54] They blew up [28:55] a nursery school. [28:57] He was a violent [28:58] fundamentalist, [28:59] Christian fanatic, [28:59] but you wouldn't blame [29:00] all Christians [29:01] for what he did [29:03] any more than you should blame [29:05] all Muslims [29:07] or all Jews [29:08] or all members [29:09] of any religious faith [29:11] because of what one person [29:12] or one crazed fanatic group [29:15] does in their name. [29:16] So, Mr. Chairman, [29:17] I trust you understand [29:18] and all of that. [29:19] I do hope we will return [29:20] to constitutional principles [29:22] and I yield back. [29:23] I thank the ranking member. [29:25] Without objection, [29:26] all of their opening statements [29:27] will be included in the record. [29:29] We will now introduce [29:30] today's witnesses. [29:32] Mr. Ammon Blair. [29:33] Mr. Blair is a senior fellow [29:34] at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. [29:37] His research focuses [29:37] on transnational [29:38] criminal organizations, [29:40] foreign terrorist networks, [29:42] hostile state influence operations, [29:44] mass migration, [29:44] and emerging security threats. [29:47] He previously served [29:48] more than two decades [29:48] with the United States Army [29:50] and as a Border Patrol agent. [29:53] Mr. Marco Hunter Lopez. [29:55] Mr. Hunter Lopez [29:56] is a student [29:57] at Wiley East High School [29:58] in Wiley, Texas, [29:59] where he is the president [30:00] of the school's [30:01] Republican Student Club. [30:02] He also serves [30:03] on the PTA board [30:04] and has been involved [30:04] in national, state, [30:05] and local campaigns [30:06] since he was 13. [30:08] I believe that Mr. Hunter Lopez [30:09] recently turned 16, [30:10] if that's correct. [30:12] Ms. Amy Meckleberg. [30:13] Ms. Meckleberg is the founder [30:15] and editor-in-chief [30:15] of the Rare Foundation, [30:17] a grassroots organization [30:18] that advocates [30:18] for American values. [30:20] Her work is focused [30:20] on authoritarian systems [30:22] and efforts to replace [30:23] democratic governance. [30:25] Ms. Amanda Tyler. [30:27] Ms. Tyler is the executive director [30:28] of the Baptist Joint Committee [30:29] for Religious Liberty, [30:31] a non-profit organization [30:32] that advocates [30:33] on matters of religion. [30:34] She previously worked [30:35] in Congress [30:35] and private law practice. [30:37] We thank our witnesses [30:38] for appearing today [30:39] and we'll begin [30:40] by swearing you in. [30:41] Would you please rise [30:42] and raise your right hand? [30:48] Do you swear or affirm [30:49] under penalty of perjury [30:50] that the testimony [30:51] you're about to give [30:52] is true and correct [30:53] to the best of your knowledge, [30:54] information, and belief, [30:55] so help you God. [30:58] Let the record reflect [30:59] that the witnesses [30:59] have answered in the affirmative [31:00] and you may be seated. [31:03] Please know that your written testimony [31:05] will be entered into the record [31:06] in its entirety. [31:07] Accordingly, [31:08] we ask that you summarize [31:09] your testimony in five minutes. [31:11] I'm going to start over here [31:12] on the right. [31:13] Remind our witnesses [31:14] to turn the microphone on. [31:16] Mr. Blair, [31:17] you may begin your five minutes. [31:20] Dear Chairman Roy, [31:21] Ranking Member Scanlon [31:21] and distinguished members [31:22] of the committee. [31:23] Good morning [31:23] and thank you for inviting me [31:24] to testify before you. [31:26] My name is Ammon Blair. [31:27] I'm a senior fellow [31:27] with the Texas Public Policy Foundation [31:29] Secure and Sovereign Nation Initiative [31:30] and a consultant [31:31] for the Operation Lone Star Task Force. [31:33] As Representative Roy stated, [31:35] I previously served [31:36] as a United States Border Patrol agent [31:38] in the Rio Grande Valley sector [31:39] and had more than two decades [31:41] in the United States Army. [31:42] The issue before this subcommittee [31:43] is not whether Americans [31:44] have the right [31:45] to practice religion freely. [31:47] They do unequivocally. [31:48] The First Amendment [31:49] protects belief, [31:50] worship, [31:50] religious instruction, [31:51] and peaceful association [31:52] and voluntary observance. [31:54] Texas law does the same. [31:55] However, [31:56] religious liberty [31:56] does not create immunity [31:58] from the rule of law. [31:59] A crime remains a crime [32:01] regardless of religion [32:01] and no religious, [32:03] ideological, [32:03] or political system [32:04] possesses a constitutional license [32:06] to violate the rights [32:08] of a sovereign nation, [32:09] a sovereign state, [32:10] a political subdivision, [32:11] private property owners, [32:12] or individual citizens. [32:14] The constitutional issue [32:15] before Congress [32:16] is narrower but foundational. [32:18] The American Constitutional Order [32:19] recognizes dual sovereignty [32:20] between the federal government [32:22] and the states. [32:23] It does not recognize [32:24] parallel sovereign systems [32:25] operating outside [32:26] constitutional supremacy. [32:28] Judicial review, [32:29] equal protection, [32:30] due process, [32:31] or the rule of law. [32:32] The supremacy clause, [32:33] equal protection, [32:34] and due process clauses [32:34] in Article 4 guarantee [32:36] one supreme constitutional order [32:37] in one Republican form [32:39] of government. [32:40] No religious, ideological, [32:41] political, [32:42] or organizational system [32:43] may exercise [32:44] coercive civil authority [32:46] independent of the Constitution [32:47] while claiming immunity [32:49] from constitutional accountability. [32:51] This distinction [32:52] between protected belief [32:53] and regulable conduct [32:55] is deeply rooted [32:56] in American constitutional law. [32:59] Under the Tenth Amendment [33:00] and longstanding [33:00] police powers doctrine, [33:02] states retain [33:02] inherent sovereign authority [33:04] and the ongoing duty [33:05] to preserve public safety, [33:07] territorial integrity, [33:08] property rights, [33:09] institutional order, [33:10] and domestic tranquility. [33:11] States were never meant [33:12] to function as passive subdivisions [33:14] awaiting federal permission [33:15] before defending [33:16] constitutional order. [33:17] Texas stands at the center [33:19] of this national security crisis. [33:21] Federal strategic assessments, [33:23] including the 2026 [33:24] U.S. counterterrorism strategy [33:25] and the ODNI's 2026 [33:27] and annual threat assessment, [33:29] identify cartels [33:30] and Islamic terrorism [33:31] as top home-end threats. [33:33] These threats overlap [33:34] and reinforce one another [33:35] through hybrid [33:36] and gray zone operations. [33:37] Texas is confronting [33:39] weaponized mass migration, [33:40] cartel-engineered smuggling networks, [33:42] foreign-linked governance structures [33:44] operating within our communities, [33:45] and systemic failure [33:46] across the entire [33:47] immigration enforcement [33:48] and removal cycle. [33:49] These dynamics have produced [33:51] concentrated enclaves [33:52] with limited assimilation [33:53] and fragmented allegiances, [33:55] environments actively exploited [33:56] by foreign terrorist organizations, [33:58] hostile states, [34:00] and transnational criminal networks. [34:01] Migration pipelines [34:02] now function [34:03] as operational infrastructure [34:04] for coercion, [34:06] illicit finance, [34:07] transnational repression, [34:08] and foreign influence. [34:10] While all eyes are on conflict [34:11] with Iran overseas, [34:13] that conflict is not confined [34:14] to distant battlefields. [34:15] It is playing out right here [34:17] on our shores. [34:18] Iran has waged decades-long [34:19] hybrid operations [34:20] in Western Hemisphere [34:21] and U.S. interior, [34:23] leveraging proxies [34:24] including Hezbollah, [34:25] Hamas, [34:25] and Muslim Brotherhood linked networks [34:27] alongside cartel-smuggling infrastructure. [34:30] These threat networks [34:30] increasingly utilize [34:31] gray zone tactics [34:32] operating under the threshold [34:33] of armed conflict [34:34] inside the United States [34:36] through cyber-enabled influence operations, [34:38] propaganda ecosystems, [34:39] and online radicalization platforms [34:41] to accelerate recruitment coordination [34:43] and institutional influence. [34:45] These networks exploit migration corridors [34:47] and distribute institutional ecosystems [34:50] inside the United States. [34:52] They operate through non-profits, [34:53] charities, educational institutions, [34:55] advocacy groups, [34:56] media ecosystems, [34:57] and political conditions [34:57] to pursue influence, [34:59] concealment, [34:59] and institutional entrenchment. [35:01] These networks pursue [35:02] the very civilization jihadist process [35:04] of settlement [35:05] outlined in the Muslim Brotherhood's [35:07] 1991 Explanatory Memorandum. [35:09] That document calls [35:10] for gradual institutional entrenchment [35:12] to eliminate, [35:13] I say, quote, [35:13] eliminate and destroy [35:15] the Western civilization from within, [35:16] end quote, [35:17] by building parallel power structures [35:19] inside American society. [35:20] Mass migration at scale [35:21] can create operational [35:23] and demographic conditions [35:24] that facilitate [35:25] long-term institutional entrenchment [35:26] when vetting, [35:28] assimilation, [35:28] and constitutional integration [35:29] mechanisms erode. [35:31] The constitutional concern [35:32] is not private worship [35:33] or voluntary religious practice. [35:34] It arises where systems [35:36] attempt to establish [35:37] coercive adjudicatory structures, [35:40] assert Sharia [35:41] as superior civil law, [35:43] obstruct access [35:43] to American courts, [35:44] and subordinate [35:45] constitutional protectives [35:47] to alternative governing authority. [35:50] Texas is confronting [35:51] this reality directly, [35:53] exercising its sovereign authorities, [35:55] including the governor's power [35:56] as commander-in-chief. [35:57] Governor Abbott [35:58] has designated [35:58] both the Muslim Brotherhood [35:59] and CARE [36:00] as foreign terrorist organizations [36:01] and transnational [36:02] criminal organizations. [36:04] Governor Abbott [36:04] has directed investigations [36:05] into entities [36:06] masquerading as legal courts [36:08] staffed with judges [36:09] issuing orders [36:10] that purportedly carry authority [36:11] to bind individuals [36:12] to Islamic codes. [36:14] The Constitution protects [36:15] the broad sphere [36:16] of religious liberty [36:17] precisely because [36:18] every person [36:19] and institution [36:19] within the United States [36:20] ultimately remains [36:22] accountable [36:22] to one constitutional system, [36:24] one civil sovereign, [36:25] and one rule of law. [36:26] No parallel system [36:27] claiming supremacy [36:28] over the Constitution [36:29] can be permitted. [36:31] Thank you. [36:31] I look forward to your questions. [36:32] Thank you, Mr. Blair. [36:35] I'm now going to go to [36:36] Ms. Meckleberg [36:37] for her opening statement. [36:45] Distinguished members of Congress, [36:46] my name is Amy Meckleberg. [36:48] I'm founder of Rare Foundation USA. [36:50] I come before you today [36:52] out of profound love [36:53] for this country [36:54] and at great personal cost. [36:56] For 15 years, [36:57] I have documented [36:58] Islam's assault on Europe [36:59] and its dangerous advance [37:01] inside of America. [37:03] For defending Western values, [37:05] Islam and its left-wing allies [37:07] marked my family [37:08] for destruction. [37:09] They stalked us, [37:10] they attacked [37:11] my loved ones' careers [37:12] and sent death threats. [37:14] Today, I travel [37:15] with armed security. [37:16] A simple walk, [37:17] a grocery run, [37:18] opening my front door, [37:20] none of it is safe anymore. [37:22] Islam has taken that from me. [37:24] The hardest part [37:25] of this fight, though, [37:26] has been watching my friends [37:27] pay the ultimate price. [37:30] On January 29, 2025, [37:33] my friends, [37:33] Salman Momika, [37:34] an Iraqi Christian [37:36] who fled to Sweden [37:37] to escape Islam [37:38] was slaughtered [37:39] as I watched. [37:41] Sweden put him on trial [37:42] for hate speech, [37:43] for telling the truth [37:44] about the threat [37:45] that killed him. [37:47] Salman predicted [37:48] his own assassination. [37:49] He knew because [37:50] the Sharia penalty [37:51] for criticizing Islam [37:53] is death. [37:55] A 1,400-year-old war [37:57] is being waged [37:58] inside our country. [37:59] Muhammad, [38:00] the man that Muslims [38:01] call their prophet, [38:02] was a military commander [38:03] whose mission [38:04] was to bring the world [38:05] under Islamic rule. [38:06] The mission cannot be completed [38:08] until America falls. [38:10] Islam is a hostile, [38:11] totalitarian, [38:12] political ideology [38:13] using our freedoms [38:14] to destroy us. [38:16] To every non-Muslim, [38:17] it offers three choices. [38:19] Convert, [38:20] submit, [38:21] or die. [38:22] It does not stop [38:23] until every court, [38:24] every school, [38:25] and every government [38:26] on earth [38:26] is under Sharia. [38:28] The Muslim Brotherhood [38:29] turned this imperative [38:30] into a modern conquest strategy. [38:33] Two seized documents, [38:34] the 1982 project, [38:36] and the 1991 explanatory memorandum [38:39] detail their two-front plan. [38:41] Build parallel Islamic societies [38:43] that reject assimilation [38:44] while their faithful [38:45] capture our institutions. [38:48] The Brotherhood wrote the playbook. [38:50] Today, [38:51] every hostile Islamic regime [38:53] and faction [38:53] is executing it on our soil. [38:56] Saudi Arabia, [38:57] Iran, [38:57] Turkey, [38:58] Qatar, [38:58] Pakistan, [38:59] Hamas, [38:59] the Taliban. [39:00] Different countries, [39:01] different sects, [39:03] all marching in lockstep [39:04] towards one conquest. [39:06] These networks operate [39:07] more than 8,000 Islamic non-profits [39:09] across America, [39:10] including 650 in Texas alone. [39:13] They build a parallel infrastructures, [39:16] mosques, [39:16] seminaries, [39:17] schools, [39:18] Sharia banks, [39:19] Sharia courts, [39:19] Sharia clinics, [39:20] charities, [39:21] media, [39:21] and political networks. [39:23] They have no plans [39:24] of assimilating. [39:25] Texas and Florida [39:26] are the Brotherhood's [39:28] command centers, [39:29] they are the clearest example [39:30] of the first strategy. [39:32] Build massive fortresses [39:33] where Muslims can live, [39:35] cradle to grave, [39:36] under full Sharia. [39:37] In Texas, [39:38] terror-tied imam, [39:39] Yasser Qaddi, [39:40] is fighting to build Epic City, [39:42] a 402-acre Sharia compound [39:46] marked as, [39:47] the epicenter of Islam [39:49] in North America. [39:50] End of quote. [39:51] In Katy, [39:52] an $80 million Sharia compound [39:54] is rising under Brotherhood [39:55] operative, [39:56] Main Al-Quda, [39:57] whose family are leading [39:58] terrorists in Jordan. [40:00] Hamad Ghazali, [40:01] named in the 1991 memorandum, [40:03] recruited Americans [40:04] for Al-Qaeda. [40:06] Today, [40:06] he writes curriculum [40:07] for Islamic school children [40:08] across North America. [40:10] Texas taxpayers [40:11] are able to fund him [40:12] through school vouchers. [40:15] Across America, [40:16] the Brotherhood [40:17] is buying churches [40:17] and converting them [40:18] to mosques. [40:19] A Lubbock school [40:20] became a Brotherhood mosque [40:21] in 45 days. [40:22] In Dallas, [40:23] two E-Roms [40:24] who preach hand amputation, [40:26] sex with captives, [40:27] and stoning adulterers [40:28] are suing to seize [40:29] a Christian megachurch. [40:31] Garland, Texas, [40:32] hosts the U.S. headquarters [40:33] of a Pakistani jihadi network [40:35] that trains hundreds [40:36] of terrorists, [40:37] including the recent killer [40:38] of the West Virginia [40:39] National Guard member. [40:41] In Florida, [40:42] third-generation [40:42] Brotherhood leader [40:44] Magda Al-Qaeda Salah [40:45] runs a self-contained [40:47] Tampa enclave. [40:49] A Houston mosque [40:50] led by imam appointed [40:51] by the Iran's supreme leader [40:53] received $1 million [40:54] in tax dollars [40:55] while children pledged [40:56] allegiance to Khamenei. [40:58] Another Hamas [40:59] supporting tech's [41:00] mega mosque [41:01] hosted public school [41:03] field trips [41:03] while its imams [41:04] preached that the fathers [41:05] and brothers [41:06] can kill adulterous daughters. [41:10] Members of Congress, [41:11] there is a little [41:11] Muslim-American girl [41:13] right now [41:13] born in Texas [41:14] under our Constitution [41:15] with every sacred right [41:17] our forefathers [41:18] fought and died [41:19] to give her. [41:20] She will never know [41:20] any of them. [41:22] Her own father, imam, [41:23] and teachers [41:23] raised her to believe [41:24] she is worth [41:25] less than half a man [41:26] and Islam's texts [41:27] command this. [41:29] If she is beaten, [41:30] it is her fault. [41:31] If she is raped, [41:31] no American courthouse [41:32] will hear her screams. [41:34] If she is married off [41:35] as a child [41:36] to a pedophile, [41:37] she will never know [41:38] it is a crime. [41:39] She is shielded [41:40] from her birthright, [41:41] raised to hate [41:42] her own country, [41:43] trained to subvert it. [41:44] There are thousands [41:45] like her [41:45] and growing fast. [41:47] This war's second strategy [41:48] captures our institutions [41:50] and cultures from within. [41:52] Their operatives [41:52] have penetrated [41:53] our State Department, [41:54] our courts, [41:55] our school boards [41:56] to subvert the Constitution [41:57] and replace it. [41:58] Hamas doing business [42:00] as care [42:00] has trained 50,000 lawyers. [42:02] They boast of this. [42:03] Journalists, filmmakers, [42:04] influencers [42:05] to embed Islam [42:06] and rewrite our history. [42:08] When we object, [42:09] they scream Islamophobia. [42:11] Their super PAC [42:12] floods our elections, [42:13] mosque-run voter drives. [42:15] Besides me is 15-year-old [42:17] Marco Hunter Lopez. [42:18] He will tell you [42:19] how the Muslim Brotherhood [42:20] student arm founded in Texas [42:22] by Yasser Qaddi's father [42:23] is targeting Texas children. [42:26] For speaking out, [42:27] Marco's safety was threatened. [42:28] Our nation's leader [42:29] are failing our children. [42:31] Member of Congress, [42:33] the American people are awake. [42:35] Washington is not. [42:36] We must choose. [42:37] The Constitution of the Quran, [42:39] America or the Caliphate, [42:41] freedom or submission. [42:42] There is no middle ground. [42:43] Thank you for your testimony, [42:45] Ms. Meckleburg. [42:45] Ms. Tyler, [42:46] I'll give you some extra time, [42:47] okay, [42:48] to make sure it's fair. [42:50] I will now recognize [42:52] Mr. Hunter Lopez [42:53] for his five minutes. [42:56] Chairman Roy, [42:57] Ranking Member Scanlon [42:58] and distinguished members [42:59] of the subcommittee, [43:01] thank you for the opportunity [43:02] to testify today. [43:03] My name is Marco Hunter Lopez. [43:05] I am a 16-year-old sophomore [43:06] at Wiley East High School [43:07] in Wiley, Texas. [43:08] I've been invited to speak [43:09] regarding an incident [43:10] that occurred on February 2nd [43:11] on my campus [43:12] in a widespread effort [43:13] across Texas [43:14] and the nation. [43:15] Last year as a freshman, [43:16] I founded the Republican Student Club [43:18] because I wanted to foster [43:19] a space for students [43:20] who share the same values. [43:21] What should have been [43:22] a simple act of student leadership [43:23] became a prolonged battle [43:25] against school administrators [43:25] who treated my group differently [43:27] from every other club on campus. [43:29] On August 16th of 2024, [43:31] we met every requirement, [43:32] 10 members, [43:33] a teacher sponsor, [43:33] and a room. [43:34] Other groups, [43:35] including the Muslim Student Association [43:36] and organizations [43:37] supporting gender-affirming ideology [43:39] were approved without issue. [43:40] Our club was denied [43:41] for being political in nature. [43:43] Administrators first claimed [43:44] a district-wide policy [43:45] against political clubs. [43:47] Then after weeks of emails [43:47] requesting the policy in writing, [43:49] they admitted it was simply [43:50] how they felt. [43:51] Only after more than a month [43:52] of emails, [43:53] pushback, [43:54] and enormous adverts [43:54] were we approved. [43:55] Even then, [43:56] we faced hostile scrutiny. [43:58] Principals were caught [43:58] taking down our approved posters [44:00] while I was out of town. [44:01] I have a documented timeline [44:02] of specific instances [44:03] of an unfair treatment [44:04] being pulled into the principal's office, [44:06] cornered, [44:07] and talked down to. [44:08] After we hosted [44:08] two guest speakers last year, [44:10] the principal tried [44:11] to impose new rules on the fly. [44:13] My father even had [44:13] to help create [44:15] a guest speaker form [44:16] to protect me as a minor. [44:18] This pattern of censorship [44:19] against our club [44:20] stands in stark contrast [44:21] to how administrators [44:23] have handled the promotion [44:24] of Islamic ideology [44:25] and including Sharia. [44:27] On February 2nd, [44:28] I was leaving a meeting [44:28] and was walking [44:29] to the cafeteria for lunch, [44:31] and I saw a large booth [44:31] labeled Islam [44:32] set up in the school. [44:34] Four adult women [44:35] from the organization [44:36] why Islam were there. [44:37] I was confused [44:38] and did not want to [44:38] give it attention, [44:39] but after discussing it [44:40] with my friends, [44:41] we decided to approach the booth. [44:42] I had a discussion [44:43] with the women, [44:44] one in particular [44:44] who they kept referring me to [44:45] because she knew [44:46] most of the theological questions. [44:48] As we tried [44:48] to understand their goal, [44:49] I looked over [44:50] and saw multiple pamphlets [44:51] spread out, [44:51] one of which was explicitly titled [44:53] Understanding Sharia. [44:54] This was very concerning [44:55] to me and other students. [44:57] They were also making [44:58] Qurans available [44:59] that include a Shahada card [45:00] on the last page [45:01] instructing students [45:01] how to convert. [45:02] Quote, [45:02] to become a Muslim, [45:03] one needs to make [45:04] the following declaration. [45:05] I bear witness [45:06] that there is no God [45:07] worthy of worship [45:08] except God [45:09] and I bear witness [45:09] that Muhammad [45:10] is the messenger of God. [45:11] This openly occurred [45:13] during lunch [45:14] with the administrators present [45:15] who did nothing to intervene. [45:16] The dangers of allowing Sharia [45:17] to be promoted [45:18] in public schools [45:18] are real and immediate. [45:20] Sharia is not simply [45:21] a personal religious observance. [45:22] It is a comprehensive [45:23] legal and political system [45:24] that includes unequal treatment, [45:26] restrictions on free speech, [45:27] harsh punishments, [45:28] and fundamental incompatibility [45:29] with the U.S. Constitution, [45:31] Texas law, [45:32] and American values [45:33] of individual liberty and equality. [45:34] Handing out materials [45:35] that present Sharia favorably [45:36] to minors during the school day [45:38] without parental approval [45:39] risks normalizing ideas [45:41] that undermine the very principles [45:42] our public schools [45:43] are supposed to uphold. [45:45] This is not neutral education. [45:48] It is ideological promotion [45:49] under the guise [45:50] of diversity and inclusion. [45:51] The contrast with my own club [45:53] cannot be clearer. [45:54] While the Republican Student Club [45:55] faced denial, censorship, [45:56] poster removal, [45:56] and hostile oversight, [45:58] an outside organization [45:58] was given easy access [45:59] to distribute Sharia-related materials [46:01] directly to students. [46:02] Administrators not only allowed it, [46:03] they actively promoted Islamic events. [46:05] The principal has enthusiastically [46:06] participated in World Hijab Day [46:09] two years in a row [46:09] that we are aware of [46:10] when she wore a hijab [46:12] and promoted it on social media [46:13] saying, quote, [46:14] I loved this experience, [46:15] all cats. [46:16] The district now offers [46:17] halal meals, [46:19] a dedicated prayer room [46:20] for Islamic observances, [46:21] and has placed a crown [46:22] in at least one middle school library [46:23] while no Bible is offered. [46:24] Conservative and Christian student groups [46:25] have never received [46:26] comparable accommodations or leeway. [46:28] This is not mere negligence. [46:30] It is complicity [46:30] through selective enforcement [46:31] and viewpoint discrimination. [46:33] School policies and state law [46:34] regarding outside organizations, [46:35] religious materials, [46:36] and guest activities [46:37] were bypassed and ignored. [46:39] No one stopped [46:39] the distribution of the materials [46:41] and Sharia pamphlets [46:42] in my high school. [46:43] After not attending the school [46:44] the next day due to safety concerns, [46:46] we had to meet [46:46] with the school resource officer [46:48] and two administrators. [46:50] When my mother asked [46:51] if the principal could notify teachers [46:52] to keep an extra eye on me [46:53] after I received these threats, [46:54] the principal's dismissive, [46:56] you can, [46:57] revealed the lack [46:57] of accountability and leadership. [46:59] The administration [47:00] has turned a blind eye [47:01] or actively enabled [47:01] the introduction [47:02] of Sharia-aligned influence [47:03] while censoring other viewpoints. [47:06] The YIslam organization [47:07] and event [47:08] has documented links [47:09] to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, [47:10] the Islamic Circle of North America, [47:12] and the Muslim Brotherhood, [47:13] some of which has been flagged [47:14] by the governor of Texas [47:15] as terror-linked. [47:16] Yet district leadership [47:17] has refused [47:17] to address these connections. [47:19] Public schools must remain neutral. [47:20] They exist to educate, [47:21] not promote foreign legal systems [47:22] incompatible with our own constitution [47:24] or favor another ideology [47:25] over another. [47:26] What is happening [47:27] in suburban Wiley [47:28] is not isolated. [47:29] If Sharia can be introduced [47:30] this easily [47:30] in a small suburban town [47:32] of Wiley [47:32] can happen anywhere. [47:34] I urge this committee [47:34] and lawmakers [47:35] across the country [47:36] to demand full investigations [47:37] into these organizations [47:38] and reject any ideology [47:39] or political system [47:41] that is at odds [47:42] with American law. [47:43] Parents and students [47:43] deserve transparency [47:44] and protection [47:45] from ideological capture. [47:46] What began as my effort [47:48] to start a simple conservative club [47:49] has revealed [47:50] how quickly institutions [47:51] can be compromised [47:52] and captured [47:52] when we remain silent. [47:54] Thank you for your time. [47:54] I'm happy to answer questions [47:55] and provide further explanations [47:57] from my firsthand experience. [47:58] Thank you. [47:58] Mr. Hunter Lopez, [48:00] thank you very much [48:01] for your testimony. [48:02] Thank you for your courage [48:03] in coming up and testifying. [48:05] I believe you're the first minor [48:06] in this Congress [48:06] to testify in the Judiciary Committee [48:08] and we appreciate you coming forward. [48:10] Ms. Tyler, [48:11] you'll have a very liberal [48:12] five minutes for your time [48:14] to keep things balanced. [48:16] You may proceed. [48:17] Good morning, Chairman Roy, [48:19] Ranking Member Scanlon, [48:20] Members of the Subcommittee. [48:22] I am Amanda Tyler, [48:23] Executive Director [48:24] of Baptist Joint Committee [48:26] for Religious Liberty. [48:27] As a constitutional attorney [48:29] and Baptist Christian, [48:31] I'm honored to be here [48:32] to offer testimony [48:33] about how targeting individuals [48:35] and groups based on religion [48:37] violates our country's [48:39] constitutional commitment [48:40] to religious freedom for all. [48:42] In this 250th year [48:44] of American independence, [48:46] our country has the opportunity [48:48] to reaffirm the foundational values [48:50] that unite our diverse people. [48:53] Core to what it means [48:54] to be an American [48:55] is a rich religious freedom tradition [48:57] that protects the free exercise [48:59] of religion of all people [49:01] by ensuring that government [49:03] not single out any one religion [49:05] for special favor or disapproval. [49:08] Our founders made a deliberate choice [49:10] to disestablish religion [49:12] from government control. [49:14] They did so with the experience [49:15] of government establishments [49:17] of religion [49:18] in the places they emigrated from [49:20] and in the British colonies. [49:22] Baptists were instrumental [49:24] in advocacy for religious freedom [49:26] for all people [49:27] in the United States. [49:28] This advocacy predates [49:30] American independence [49:31] by more than 150 years. [49:34] Thomas Helwes, [49:36] the co-founder [49:36] of the Baptist movement, [49:38] wrote a short declaration [49:39] of the mystery of iniquity [49:41] in 1612. [49:43] This work is considered [49:45] the first defense [49:46] of universal religious freedom [49:48] written in English. [49:50] In it, Helwes wrote [49:51] to King James I [49:52] about the importance [49:53] of freedom of conscience [49:55] of all people, [49:56] including Muslims. [49:58] Quote, [49:59] For men's religion to God [50:00] is betwixt God [50:02] and themselves. [50:03] The king shall not answer for it. [50:05] Neither may the king [50:07] be judged [50:07] between God and person. [50:09] Let them be heretics, [50:11] Turks, Jews, [50:12] or whatsoever. [50:14] It appertains not [50:15] to the earthly power [50:16] to punish them [50:18] in the least measure. [50:20] As this history informs us, [50:22] religious liberty [50:23] is a fundamental commitment [50:24] and it should protect [50:26] all religions. [50:27] As recently as last year, [50:29] the U.S. Supreme Court [50:30] reiterated [50:31] that the clearest command [50:33] of the Establishment Clause [50:35] is that the government [50:36] may not officially prefer [50:38] one religious denomination [50:39] over another [50:40] nor pass laws [50:42] that aid or oppose [50:43] particular religions. [50:45] Anti-Muslim government action [50:47] violates that clear command. [50:49] Even proposed legislation [50:51] targeting a particular religion [50:52] can undercut [50:54] our fundamental religious freedom [50:55] by perpetuating harmful stereotypes [50:58] and misinformation [50:59] about Islam and Muslims. [51:02] We have seen government initiatives [51:04] that manufacture [51:05] an imaginary threat of Sharia [51:07] as a way of sowing [51:08] anti-Muslim fear in the past. [51:11] Unfortunately, today, [51:12] we are seeing a resurgence, [51:13] nationally [51:14] and particularly [51:15] in my home state of Texas [51:17] of such efforts. [51:19] Efforts like these [51:20] misunderstand Islam and Sharia, [51:22] which means [51:23] the path to water [51:24] and refers to [51:25] the religious principles [51:26] that guide Muslims [51:27] in their beliefs and actions. [51:30] This broad denigration [51:31] of Sharia [51:32] directly impacts [51:33] approximately 1% [51:35] of the U.S. population. [51:37] Particularly at a time [51:38] of rising political violence, [51:41] targeting groups [51:42] based on perceived differences, [51:43] threatens to exacerbate tensions [51:45] and contribute to a culture [51:47] of fear, discrimination [51:48] and violence. [51:50] The Institute for Social Policy [51:51] and Understanding [51:52] published its annual [51:53] National Islamophobia Index [51:55] at the end of 2025. [51:57] It found a sharp increase [51:59] in the degree of endorsement [52:00] of anti-Muslim stereotypes [52:02] compared to previous years. [52:04] It also found that Muslims [52:06] are the religious group [52:07] most likely to report [52:08] experiencing religious discrimination [52:10] and the only religious subgroup [52:12] in which a majority [52:13] reported such discrimination. [52:16] This includes social discrimination [52:18] among peers [52:19] as well as structural discrimination [52:21] such as employment, [52:22] immigration proceedings [52:23] and health care. [52:24] Almost half of Muslim families [52:26] with children in K-12 schools [52:28] reported their child [52:29] was bullied [52:30] for their religious identity, [52:32] twice as much [52:33] as the general public. [52:34] Roughly half said [52:35] the bullying came [52:36] from another student [52:37] and half said [52:38] from an adult, [52:39] either a teacher [52:39] or a classmate's parent. [52:41] When the government itself [52:43] targets religious groups [52:44] with broad generalizations [52:45] and baseless accusations, [52:47] it only adds [52:48] to the culture [52:49] of discrimination [52:49] that already harms [52:51] Muslim families [52:52] and children. [52:53] It models bullying [52:54] rather than respect. [52:56] What's more, [52:56] this targeting [52:57] does not just harm Muslims. [52:59] When any person's [53:00] religious freedom [53:01] is threatened [53:01] or diminished, [53:02] it weakens [53:03] everyone's religious freedom. [53:05] Rather than fear-mongering [53:06] and distorting religion [53:08] for perceived political gain, [53:10] our country's leaders [53:11] should be actively working [53:12] to make the constitutional promise [53:14] of full belonging [53:15] without regard to religion [53:17] a reality for all. [53:19] Thank you. [53:22] Well, thank you, Ms. Tyler. [53:23] You just nailed it [53:24] right on five minutes. [53:25] You didn't even get to take [53:26] the extra time [53:27] that I was trying to offer you, [53:28] but I appreciate it. [53:29] I will now recognize [53:30] the gentleman from North Carolina [53:32] for five minutes of questions. [53:34] Thank you, Mr. Chairman, [53:35] and thank you for calling [53:36] this important hearing [53:38] to discuss the threat [53:39] of political Islam. [53:41] We're blessed to live [53:42] in a country [53:43] excuse me. [53:46] We're blessed to live [53:47] in a country [53:47] that has the fundamental liberty [53:49] of religious freedom. [53:50] And religious freedom [53:51] allows individuals [53:52] to hold and express [53:53] their beliefs [53:54] without undue government [53:55] interference. [53:57] It does ensure [53:58] that people can choose [53:59] their faith [53:59] or know faith [54:01] and practice it openly. [54:03] And it's important [54:04] to protect [54:04] our individual liberties [54:05] from extremism [54:07] that seeks to erode [54:08] our values [54:09] as a country. [54:11] One example [54:11] of the extremism [54:13] we want to protect [54:13] our country from [54:14] occurred in just 2025 [54:16] when parents [54:17] in Washington state [54:18] allegedly attempted [54:20] an honor killing [54:21] of their teenage daughter [54:22] for refusing [54:24] an arranged marriage. [54:25] This appalling level [54:26] of extremism [54:27] is incompatible [54:29] with our way of life [54:30] and must not be allowed [54:31] to take root [54:32] in our country. [54:34] Mrs. Muckelberg, [54:35] in your experience [54:36] investigating instances [54:38] of political Islam [54:39] in the United States, [54:41] how prevalent [54:41] would you say [54:42] it's become [54:43] across the country? [54:46] When I, [54:47] in my testimony [54:48] I talked about [54:49] there being 8,000 [54:50] organizations [54:51] across the United States. [54:53] They're working [54:54] in lockstep. [54:56] It is extremely [54:57] prevalent [54:58] and growing [54:59] massively. [55:01] So in your view [55:02] does political Islam [55:03] pose a threat [55:04] to the fundamental values [55:05] of American democracy? [55:07] Yes, it does. [55:08] And they openly say it. [55:11] Well, Mr. Blair, [55:11] I want to come to you [55:13] for just a moment. [55:14] During the four years [55:15] of open border policies [55:16] under the Biden administration, [55:18] people from all around [55:19] the world [55:19] came into our country [55:21] frankly without any vetting. [55:23] We've seen that. [55:25] The failure [55:25] to secure our border [55:26] provided those [55:27] who seek to commit [55:28] violent acts [55:29] against the United States [55:30] with a perfect opportunity [55:32] to enter our nation [55:33] undetected. [55:34] And Mr. Blair, [55:35] how did the Biden administration's [55:37] open border policies [55:38] impact the spread [55:39] of political Islam [55:41] in the United States? [55:42] We were mandated, [55:44] sir, we were mandated [55:44] to look the other way [55:46] under prosecutorial discretion. [55:47] We released known terrorists [55:50] where we didn't know it [55:51] until after the fact. [55:52] But we had multiple [55:53] people from all across the world [55:56] coming into the United States [55:57] with falsified documents [55:58] specifically from Iran [56:00] who'd come in [56:01] with Venezuelan documents [56:02] under the guise [56:03] that we would not be able [56:04] to identify them [56:05] which was the case. [56:06] And that's why [56:07] later on [56:08] Representative Gonzalez [56:09] was able to [56:10] through a FOIA [56:10] find out how many [56:11] on the non-disclosed docket [56:14] of the criminal illegal aliens [56:16] that we released [56:17] there were [56:18] and I think there was [56:18] a little over 600,000 of them [56:20] that Border Patrol and ICE [56:22] released during that time period. [56:23] And would you say [56:24] there's security threats [56:25] that grew during that period [56:27] that we're still dealing with [56:29] even today? [56:30] 100%, sir. [56:31] I mean, a lot of the information [56:33] that was given to us [56:34] as Border Patrol agents [56:35] when we were on the ground [56:36] was misinformation. [56:37] And we had no, [56:39] we didn't have that time [56:40] even to this day [56:41] to be able to vet [56:42] the information [56:43] whether that's going to be [56:44] the sponsor [56:44] whether that's going to be [56:45] the country of origin [56:46] even their age [56:46] even their [56:47] or their family status [56:49] we couldn't really vet [56:50] any of that. [56:51] And so now [56:52] when ICE is trying [56:53] to conduct operations [56:54] or target operations [56:55] they have that [56:56] bad information [56:57] where they're going out [56:58] city to city [56:59] trying to find those [57:01] that seek harm [57:02] to our communities. [57:03] Thank you, sir. [57:04] I want to come back [57:05] to Ms. Meckleburg [57:05] for just a moment. [57:07] During this subcommittee's [57:08] last hearing on this topic [57:09] I discussed how the FBI [57:11] had successfully thwarted [57:14] an ISIS-inspired terrorist attack [57:16] in North Carolina. [57:18] In that story [57:18] you may recall [57:19] it was a national story. [57:21] Christian Sturtevant [57:21] 18-year-old [57:23] sought to become [57:24] a martyr for ISIS [57:25] by planning to carry out [57:27] a deadly attack [57:27] on New Year's Eve [57:29] in Mid-Hill, North Carolina [57:30] which is right in my district. [57:33] Following that incident [57:33] in North Carolina [57:34] I want to ask you [57:35] do you believe [57:36] there's been an increase [57:38] in ISIS using [57:39] social media chat rooms [57:41] and other features [57:43] to radicalize Americans? [57:47] Yes, and it's something [57:48] that we actually saw [57:49] I spent 10 years [57:51] really hyper-focused [57:52] and working in Europe [57:52] and it was probably [57:54] one of the biggest threats [57:55] the way that ISIS [57:56] and many different [57:57] other Islamic jihadist groups [57:59] are using social media [58:00] are disseminating [58:03] very terrifying videos [58:06] and imams [58:07] and their organizations [58:09] they're pushing [58:10] non-stop videos [58:12] and non-stop recruitment efforts. [58:14] Yes. [58:14] Thank you. [58:15] Mr. Hunter Lopez [58:15] let me come to you real quickly [58:17] in the last few seconds I have. [58:19] Thank you first of all [58:20] for coming and testifying today. [58:22] Since that incident occurred [58:23] and the school district [58:25] officials took full responsibility [58:26] for the situation [58:28] have you seen a change [58:29] in how the school [58:30] has approached student clubs [58:32] on campus? [58:35] Yes. [58:36] So I've actually [58:37] you know [58:38] I have a lot of relationships [58:40] with a lot of teacher sponsors [58:41] for different groups [58:41] and they said that [58:42] they're trying to say [58:44] that they're [58:44] to say that they're [58:46] putting these new [58:46] policies in paper [58:48] but in terms of [58:50] the way that certain people [58:51] are still being treated [58:52] there are still [58:54] conservative students [58:55] including myself [58:56] that are still [58:56] being treated unfairly [58:58] according to [58:59] the standard [59:00] they're holding [59:00] for other people. [59:01] Well I applaud you [59:02] for speaking out about this [59:03] and coming to testify today. [59:05] Mr. Chairman [59:05] I yield back. [59:06] Thank you the gentleman [59:07] from North Carolina [59:07] and I'll recognize [59:08] the ranking member of the committee [59:09] the gentleman from Maryland [59:10] Mr. Raskin. [59:11] Thank you very much [59:12] Mr. Chairman [59:12] my colleague just spoke [59:17] of apparently [59:20] a Muslim family [59:21] where there was [59:22] an effort to kill [59:25] their own daughter [59:25] in a so-called [59:27] honor killing [59:28] if I understand it correctly [59:29] murder is against [59:32] the law in America [59:33] whether the parents [59:35] are Muslim [59:37] Christian [59:37] Jewish [59:38] Hindu [59:39] or anything else [59:39] would we need [59:42] a special law [59:43] to deal with [59:44] a situation like that [59:44] or does the universal [59:46] secular law [59:47] against murder [59:47] take care of that? [59:49] The current law [59:50] takes care of that [59:51] right now. [59:51] Good okay [59:52] so I'm looking at [59:53] an article about [59:54] a Christian group [59:56] an extremist Christian group [59:57] that calls themselves [59:58] the army of God [59:59] that's taken credit [1:00:00] for bombing [1:00:01] abortion clinics [1:00:02] and lesbian night bars [1:00:03] do we need a special law [1:00:05] against Christian [1:00:07] extremism [1:00:08] or Christian violence [1:00:09] or do we just [1:00:10] hold them [1:00:10] to the general [1:00:11] secular law [1:00:12] against blowing up [1:00:13] health clinics [1:00:14] and bars? [1:00:16] It needs to be held [1:00:17] to the same law [1:00:18] and to the same standard. [1:00:19] Right [1:00:19] so can you think [1:00:20] of any situation [1:00:21] where the secular law [1:00:23] alone would not handle [1:00:25] anybody's legitimate [1:00:27] fears that they have [1:00:29] of a fundamentalist [1:00:30] Christian group [1:00:30] Muslim group [1:00:31] or any other religious group? [1:00:33] Unless it's [1:00:34] based off the ideology [1:00:36] of either the district attorney [1:00:37] or the judge themselves [1:00:38] whether they adjudicate [1:00:40] or not [1:00:40] that's going to be [1:00:41] the difference [1:00:41] whether that process [1:00:43] itself allows [1:00:44] for the adjudication [1:00:45] of that crime [1:00:46] as I said in my testimony [1:00:47] a crime is still a crime [1:00:48] regardless of the religion. [1:00:49] Great [1:00:49] and you know [1:00:51] stated at the level [1:00:53] which you wrote it [1:00:54] I agree with a lot [1:00:55] of what you said [1:00:55] you just basically said [1:00:57] we've got to hold [1:00:57] everybody to [1:00:58] the secular law [1:00:59] is there anybody [1:01:00] on the panel [1:01:01] who thinks that [1:01:01] we need a special law [1:01:03] addressing [1:01:05] any particular [1:01:06] religious population [1:01:07] whether it's the Muslim [1:01:08] the Christian [1:01:09] the Jewish [1:01:10] the Hindu [1:01:11] the Mormon [1:01:11] or what have you [1:01:12] or are we just saying [1:01:14] that everybody [1:01:14] should be held [1:01:15] to secular law [1:01:17] in America [1:01:17] and I'm happy [1:01:18] to open it up [1:01:19] to anybody [1:01:19] Mr. Hunter Lopez [1:01:20] thank you Congressman [1:01:25] for the question [1:01:25] I think that [1:01:26] you keep referring [1:01:27] to a secular law [1:01:27] I think it's important [1:01:28] to point out [1:01:29] I believe it was [1:01:30] 56 of the 57 [1:01:31] Declaration of Independent [1:01:32] Signers were Bible [1:01:33] believing faith [1:01:33] church attending [1:01:34] Christians [1:01:35] I believe it was [1:01:36] the first original [1:01:36] 13 colonies [1:01:37] that required [1:01:38] a declaration of faith [1:01:39] so I'm not [1:01:40] acknowledging [1:01:40] that we [1:01:41] wait a second [1:01:41] you're traversing [1:01:43] my territory now [1:01:44] Mr. Hunter Lopez [1:01:44] you brought it up [1:01:45] are you aware [1:01:47] that the Constitution [1:01:47] of the United States [1:01:48] does not [1:01:49] establish a religion [1:01:50] it forbids [1:01:51] it establishing a religion [1:01:52] are you aware [1:01:52] that doesn't mention God [1:01:53] so the Declaration [1:01:55] of Independence [1:01:56] mentions God [1:01:56] four times [1:01:57] but what I was [1:01:58] going to say [1:01:58] is the Declaration [1:01:59] of Independence law [1:01:59] so Declaration [1:02:02] of Independence [1:02:02] was declaring [1:02:04] our independence [1:02:04] from the tyranny [1:02:05] of England [1:02:06] but what I was [1:02:07] trying to finish [1:02:08] is that [1:02:08] I'm not [1:02:09] you know [1:02:10] suggesting [1:02:10] that we need [1:02:11] to go back [1:02:11] to taking [1:02:11] you know [1:02:13] tests [1:02:13] or saying [1:02:13] that you have [1:02:14] to acknowledge [1:02:14] do you know [1:02:15] that Thomas Jefferson [1:02:16] was denounced [1:02:17] as an infidel [1:02:18] who wrote [1:02:19] the Declaration [1:02:20] of Independence [1:02:20] because [1:02:21] he didn't believe [1:02:23] in the establishment [1:02:23] of religion [1:02:24] and he and Madison [1:02:25] were emphatic [1:02:26] about separating [1:02:27] church and state [1:02:27] that's the whole glory [1:02:29] of our constitutional [1:02:30] design in our history [1:02:31] that they rebelled [1:02:32] against centuries [1:02:33] of religious warfare [1:02:34] between the Catholics [1:02:35] and the Protestants [1:02:36] and witchcraft trials [1:02:38] inquisition [1:02:39] holy crusades [1:02:40] America [1:02:41] proclaimed [1:02:42] the separation [1:02:43] of church and state [1:02:44] what Thomas Jefferson [1:02:46] described [1:02:47] in his famous letter [1:02:48] to the Danbury Baptist [1:02:49] as a wall of separation [1:02:50] that was a letter [1:02:52] not a law [1:02:52] okay [1:02:53] so [1:02:53] your position [1:02:55] is that [1:02:56] America is a theocracy [1:02:57] what I [1:02:58] you didn't let me finish [1:02:59] my original statement [1:03:00] and I understand [1:03:00] you have limited time [1:03:01] but what I was going to say [1:03:02] is I'm not suggesting [1:03:03] we need to go back [1:03:04] to anything that's in writing [1:03:05] but what I am saying [1:03:06] is we need to acknowledge [1:03:07] well I think we should [1:03:07] go back to something [1:03:08] in writing [1:03:08] I think we should go back [1:03:09] to the first amendment [1:03:10] yes the constitution [1:03:11] obviously [1:03:11] but what I'm saying [1:03:12] is that [1:03:13] you know how I said [1:03:14] original colonies [1:03:15] were requiring [1:03:16] declaration of faith [1:03:17] to run for office [1:03:19] I'm not saying [1:03:19] that's why we have [1:03:20] a first amendment [1:03:21] what I'm saying [1:03:21] is that we do [1:03:22] that's precisely [1:03:22] why Jefferson wrote it [1:03:23] we do need to acknowledge [1:03:24] our Christian heritage [1:03:25] in America [1:03:25] that's what I'm trying [1:03:26] you can acknowledge [1:03:27] whatever heritage you want [1:03:28] but you can't impose [1:03:30] an establishment of religion [1:03:31] on other people [1:03:32] that's the greatness [1:03:33] I'm not suggesting that at all [1:03:34] I'm just saying [1:03:35] we need to acknowledge [1:03:36] our heritage [1:03:36] that's what I'm saying [1:03:37] everybody can acknowledge [1:03:38] their own heritage [1:03:39] do you agree with that? [1:03:40] American heritage [1:03:40] not just any heritage [1:03:41] is what I'm saying [1:03:42] oh you don't think [1:03:43] that you're allowed [1:03:44] to acknowledge [1:03:44] your Christian heritage [1:03:45] or your Jewish heritage [1:03:46] or your Muslim heritage [1:03:47] I'm saying you members [1:03:49] of Congress [1:03:49] need to acknowledge [1:03:50] American heritage [1:03:50] yes indeed [1:03:51] and you know how we do that [1:03:52] by abiding by the [1:03:53] Constitution of the United States [1:03:54] which is why [1:03:55] that's exactly where I began [1:03:56] Ms. Tyler [1:03:57] what do you think [1:03:58] about this whole [1:03:58] anti-sharia law [1:04:00] law thing [1:04:00] do we need a special law [1:04:03] banning sharia law? [1:04:05] no because we have [1:04:06] the first amendment [1:04:06] to the U.S. Constitution [1:04:08] that prohibits [1:04:09] establishment of any religion [1:04:11] including Islam [1:04:12] Mr. Chairman [1:04:13] I yield back to you [1:04:14] within five minutes [1:04:15] I thank the ranking member [1:04:18] and I appreciate [1:04:19] that spirited exchange [1:04:21] and I will now recognize [1:04:23] the gentlelady from Wyoming [1:04:24] my good friend [1:04:25] Ms. Hackman [1:04:26] thank you [1:04:27] in our previous hearing [1:04:28] on this topic [1:04:29] I focused on how [1:04:30] sharia-based tribunals [1:04:31] will jeopardize [1:04:33] America's rights [1:04:34] to equal protection [1:04:35] and due process [1:04:35] under the law [1:04:36] particularly in cases [1:04:38] involving women [1:04:39] and minors [1:04:40] we learned that [1:04:41] the presence of [1:04:41] sharia-based tribunals [1:04:43] in the United States [1:04:43] date back decades [1:04:45] and that it is [1:04:45] common practice [1:04:46] for these tribunals [1:04:48] to stray from [1:04:48] traditional judicial proceedings [1:04:50] meaning that participants [1:04:52] risk losing protections [1:04:53] guaranteed [1:04:54] under the Constitution [1:04:56] as was just being debated [1:04:57] one example [1:04:58] of such a tribunal [1:04:59] operating near Dallas [1:05:00] before altering [1:05:01] its website [1:05:02] actually prided itself [1:05:03] on being a unique [1:05:05] institution of its kind [1:05:06] in the United States [1:05:07] with the intention [1:05:08] of setting a precedent [1:05:09] that would be emulated [1:05:11] and duplicated [1:05:11] throughout the country [1:05:12] that same tribunal [1:05:14] further claimed that [1:05:15] conflicting problems [1:05:17] within American [1:05:17] Muslim society [1:05:18] may range from [1:05:19] personal and family [1:05:20] matters [1:05:20] such as marriage [1:05:22] and divorce [1:05:22] as well as disputes [1:05:23] among community members [1:05:24] and those in positions [1:05:26] of leadership [1:05:27] the courts of the [1:05:28] United States of America [1:05:29] are costly [1:05:30] and consist of [1:05:31] ineffective lawyers [1:05:32] end quote [1:05:33] to be clear [1:05:34] conformity to the [1:05:35] Constitution [1:05:35] is the governing factor [1:05:37] behind the operation [1:05:38] of our judicial system [1:05:39] the 5th [1:05:40] 6th [1:05:41] 7th [1:05:41] and 14th [1:05:42] amendments [1:05:42] are there to ensure [1:05:43] that everyone has [1:05:45] a right to a fair trial [1:05:47] while the First Amendment [1:05:48] is intended to ensure [1:05:49] that every American citizen [1:05:51] can practice the religion [1:05:52] of their choosing [1:05:52] it does not permit [1:05:54] any parallel tribunal [1:05:57] or body [1:05:58] to supersede [1:05:58] the role [1:05:59] of our judiciary [1:06:00] in the protections [1:06:02] of those constitutional rights [1:06:03] Ms. Meckleberg [1:06:05] Sharia based tribunals [1:06:07] often label themselves [1:06:08] as offering [1:06:09] voluntary services [1:06:11] but is it not true [1:06:12] that individuals [1:06:12] have been coerced [1:06:14] into using these bodies [1:06:15] because of social [1:06:17] familial [1:06:18] and other community pressures [1:06:20] yes [1:06:22] I was actually saying [1:06:23] earlier that [1:06:24] right now [1:06:24] in communities [1:06:25] all across Texas [1:06:26] all across different places [1:06:28] throughout the United States [1:06:29] from birth to death [1:06:31] they now have full [1:06:32] operational societies [1:06:34] that somebody could actually [1:06:35] be born in America [1:06:36] and never have to [1:06:37] operate outside of [1:06:39] and deal with [1:06:41] any kind of non-Muslim [1:06:42] so within these societies [1:06:43] they have their courts [1:06:45] and if you notice [1:06:46] most of the imams [1:06:47] that are the heads [1:06:48] that are coming [1:06:49] from outside the country [1:06:50] are Sharia judges [1:06:51] and these Sharia judges [1:06:53] hand down [1:06:54] these different [1:06:55] they use many different names [1:06:58] they will say [1:06:59] that they're an imam [1:07:00] they're a Sharia [1:07:01] you know [1:07:02] expert [1:07:02] a Sharia jurist [1:07:04] etc [1:07:05] but if you go [1:07:05] and you look [1:07:06] these are the people [1:07:07] who are acting [1:07:08] as the judges [1:07:09] within these communities [1:07:11] and there's an entire [1:07:12] organization around this [1:07:13] if you look up [1:07:14] the Assembly Muslim [1:07:15] of Jurists [1:07:16] in America [1:07:16] they're issuing fatwas [1:07:18] we have FIC council people [1:07:20] who are also [1:07:21] again that's a Sharia judge [1:07:23] these are people [1:07:24] who are putting out fatwas [1:07:26] that you can kill apostates [1:07:28] blasphemers [1:07:29] this is happening [1:07:30] inside America [1:07:31] and again [1:07:32] that's clearly a violation [1:07:33] of the constitution [1:07:34] and the rights [1:07:35] of the individuals [1:07:35] who are involved [1:07:36] in those tribunals [1:07:37] correct? [1:07:37] correct [1:07:38] all right [1:07:38] and another characteristic [1:07:40] of American courts [1:07:41] is generally the presence [1:07:42] of robust oversight [1:07:44] we have court records [1:07:46] decisions are easily accessible [1:07:47] attorneys are present [1:07:48] and the transcripts [1:07:50] of proceedings [1:07:50] are properly recorded [1:07:51] so that we know [1:07:52] what happens [1:07:53] in our court system [1:07:54] would you please explain [1:07:55] how does this oversight [1:07:57] compare to the operation [1:07:58] of a Sharia based tribunal? [1:08:00] this is handled [1:08:00] inside the community [1:08:01] so you'll never know [1:08:03] of any of these things [1:08:04] and that's the problem [1:08:06] that I always have [1:08:07] with we say [1:08:09] when I say [1:08:10] we're failing children [1:08:11] and we're failing minorities [1:08:13] and women [1:08:13] and things are happening [1:08:16] in these communities [1:08:17] that nobody ever knows of [1:08:18] and there is no voice [1:08:20] for the little girl [1:08:21] who's being born [1:08:21] in this community [1:08:22] she doesn't even know [1:08:23] what her rights are [1:08:24] in this country [1:08:26] that she's being born into [1:08:27] so again [1:08:28] she is answering [1:08:30] to her family [1:08:31] she is answering [1:08:31] to her imam [1:08:32] and she is answering [1:08:33] to the person [1:08:34] who is the expert [1:08:36] in Sharia [1:08:36] within her community [1:08:38] but at the same time [1:08:39] she's not able [1:08:40] to fully exercise [1:08:40] the constitutional rights [1:08:42] that have been bestowed [1:08:44] on her [1:08:44] absolutely not [1:08:45] so in terms of [1:08:47] are there judgments [1:08:48] or rulings catalogued [1:08:50] are they consistent [1:08:51] from one imam [1:08:52] to another one [1:08:54] or one Sharia based judiciary [1:08:55] to another one [1:08:56] yes and I think [1:08:57] that's why [1:08:57] when you look up [1:08:58] the assembly [1:08:59] this one body [1:09:01] they are a lot of [1:09:02] they're handing out [1:09:03] the different [1:09:03] they're handing out [1:09:05] the different legal [1:09:06] it's the legal arm [1:09:08] with inside the community [1:09:09] but again [1:09:10] are there different [1:09:11] variations [1:09:12] that different people [1:09:14] follow [1:09:14] at times [1:09:15] but that's why [1:09:16] they have [1:09:16] and again [1:09:17] if you look up [1:09:18] the fic council [1:09:19] where Yasarkati [1:09:20] is the head of [1:09:21] or you look up [1:09:21] a place like Amja [1:09:22] where they're [1:09:23] pushing out [1:09:24] these different [1:09:25] fatwas [1:09:26] that all the mosques [1:09:28] are following [1:09:28] it does act as [1:09:30] the governing body [1:09:31] the legal body [1:09:33] I'm sorry [1:09:34] just very quickly [1:09:35] in light of the [1:09:36] disaster of the [1:09:37] open border [1:09:37] Biden administration [1:09:38] have you seen [1:09:39] an increase [1:09:40] in the attempt [1:09:41] to enforce [1:09:42] or impose [1:09:42] Sharia law [1:09:43] in the United States [1:09:44] absolutely [1:09:45] because within [1:09:46] these communities [1:09:46] they are also [1:09:48] they're absorbing [1:09:49] the refugees coming in [1:09:51] that's what they're [1:09:51] hoping for [1:09:52] to increase the numbers [1:09:53] thank you [1:09:54] I appreciate your testimony [1:09:55] I yield back [1:09:56] I think the gentlelady [1:09:57] from Wyoming [1:09:58] I'll now recognize [1:09:59] the gentleman [1:10:00] from Tennessee [1:10:01] Mr. Cohen [1:10:01] thank you [1:10:03] I am the gentleman [1:10:05] from Memphis [1:10:06] Tennessee has divorced [1:10:07] me from their state [1:10:08] and I accept the divorce [1:10:10] I represent Memphis [1:10:11] redistricting [1:10:15] which we've had [1:10:16] in this country [1:10:17] and I was recently [1:10:17] redistricted [1:10:18] is a bigger threat [1:10:20] to our country [1:10:21] than anything [1:10:22] we're talking about here [1:10:24] Sharia law is not good [1:10:26] I'm not for it [1:10:27] but I think that [1:10:28] Sharia law [1:10:28] is where people [1:10:29] have decided [1:10:31] they want to be [1:10:32] in the courts [1:10:33] and they agreed [1:10:34] to the jurisdiction [1:10:35] they're not going out [1:10:36] on the streets [1:10:37] and bringing people in [1:10:38] in the legislatures [1:10:40] in the south [1:10:41] because of Donald Trump's [1:10:43] fear of oversight [1:10:47] in the next congress [1:10:48] fear that his [1:10:49] extreme trampling [1:10:58] of the constitution [1:10:59] selling of pardons [1:11:01] voluminous clause [1:11:04] violations [1:11:04] crypto schemes [1:11:08] will be exposed [1:11:09] he has asked governors [1:11:12] in Texas [1:11:13] you mentioned [1:11:14] Governor Abbott [1:11:15] Mr. Lopez [1:11:15] he asked Governor Abbott [1:11:17] to find him [1:11:17] five congressional districts [1:11:20] just like he asked [1:11:21] Mr. Roffensperger [1:11:22] in Georgia [1:11:23] to find him [1:11:23] 11,000 votes [1:11:24] and Mr. Roffensperger [1:11:27] heroically said no [1:11:30] Mr. Abbott said [1:11:31] yes sir [1:11:32] I'll find him for you [1:11:33] that started off [1:11:34] this round [1:11:35] of mid-decade [1:11:37] redistricting [1:11:40] to try to create [1:11:41] a Republican house [1:11:43] that they couldn't get [1:11:43] by the districts [1:11:44] that have been made [1:11:45] by the 2020 census [1:11:47] in 2022 [1:11:48] and often times [1:11:49] by Republican [1:11:50] legislatures [1:11:51] it was the Republican [1:11:52] legislature [1:11:52] that created my district [1:11:53] that they then struck down [1:11:55] because Calais gave them [1:11:57] the right [1:11:57] to do [1:11:59] what they wanted to do [1:12:01] and that's eliminate [1:12:01] African American [1:12:03] majority minority districts [1:12:05] and turn out [1:12:06] people [1:12:08] African Americans [1:12:09] and myself [1:12:10] I represent [1:12:11] an African American district [1:12:12] and have for 20 years [1:12:14] and never lost [1:12:15] a precinct [1:12:16] and a primary [1:12:16] where the African American [1:12:17] vote is 80 percent [1:12:18] that's something [1:12:19] wonderful in America [1:12:21] that shows [1:12:21] that African Americans [1:12:22] have voted [1:12:23] for 20 years [1:12:24] based on [1:12:25] your ability [1:12:26] to represent [1:12:27] and your votes [1:12:28] and your policies [1:12:29] not on your race [1:12:30] and yet the Republicans [1:12:31] turned it around [1:12:32] to say this discriminated [1:12:33] against white people [1:12:34] because we created [1:12:35] a majority minority district [1:12:36] which was created [1:12:37] because we had slavery [1:12:38] in this country [1:12:40] for over 200 [1:12:42] 250 years or so [1:12:43] where blacks [1:12:45] were property [1:12:46] and then after [1:12:47] Reconstruction [1:12:47] and a little bit [1:12:48] of goodness [1:12:49] and fairness [1:12:49] we got into [1:12:50] the Jim Crow South [1:12:52] and how many bubbles [1:12:56] are on this bar of soap [1:12:57] and how many peas [1:12:59] are in this jar [1:13:01] and they stopped [1:13:05] black people [1:13:05] from having the right [1:13:06] to vote [1:13:06] and they eliminated [1:13:08] black representation [1:13:09] once they got it [1:13:11] through the Voting Rights Act [1:13:12] which is one of the most [1:13:12] important legislative acts [1:13:14] of the 20th century [1:13:15] in my opinion [1:13:16] where Martin Luther King [1:13:18] and John Lewis [1:13:19] fought hard [1:13:21] in Selma, Alabama [1:13:22] and other places [1:13:23] and worked with [1:13:23] President Johnson [1:13:24] and the Democratic Congress [1:13:25] and a Republican Congress [1:13:26] Everett Dirksen [1:13:27] was a big part of that [1:13:28] it was a bipartisan bill [1:13:29] in 1965 [1:13:30] to do redressing [1:13:31] to give African Americans [1:13:32] opportunities [1:13:33] to make up [1:13:34] for some of the awful [1:13:35] occurrences we'd had [1:13:36] in this country [1:13:37] with Jim Crow [1:13:38] and slavery [1:13:39] people died [1:13:42] Schwerner, Cheney, and Goodman [1:13:43] died in Philadelphia, Mississippi [1:13:44] shot by racist [1:13:46] law enforcement officials [1:13:48] because they went to Mississippi [1:13:49] to dare register people [1:13:50] to vote [1:13:51] in the Freedom Summer [1:13:51] Medgar Evers [1:13:53] the head of the NAACP [1:13:54] in Jackson, Mississippi [1:13:55] was assassinated [1:13:57] in Jackson, Mississippi [1:13:58] a lady named Viola Louzo [1:14:00] went down to Selma [1:14:01] to participate in the march [1:14:02] and she was shot [1:14:03] and killed [1:14:03] by racist guys [1:14:05] in Alabama [1:14:05] all of those deaths [1:14:07] and efforts [1:14:08] and work [1:14:09] put asunder [1:14:10] by the Supreme Court [1:14:11] in their Calais decision [1:14:12] and put asunder [1:14:13] by Republican state legislatures [1:14:15] in Louisiana [1:14:16] in Alabama [1:14:18] and in Tennessee [1:14:19] and they'll do it [1:14:20] in other states to boot [1:14:20] John Roberts said [1:14:23] the Supreme Court [1:14:24] is not political [1:14:25] and then Alabama [1:14:29] couldn't redistrict [1:14:30] because there was [1:14:31] an injunction [1:14:32] for them changing [1:14:34] their districts [1:14:34] put in by the Supreme Court [1:14:36] until 2030 [1:14:38] Alabama asked them [1:14:39] to lift that injunction [1:14:40] they did it in a second [1:14:42] and Alabama [1:14:44] is going to have [1:14:45] one less African American seat [1:14:46] don't tell me [1:14:49] John Roberts [1:14:49] that the Supreme Court [1:14:51] of the United States [1:14:51] is not political [1:14:52] it is an arm [1:14:53] of the Trump White House [1:14:55] they took this case up [1:14:57] when they did [1:14:58] because Virginia [1:14:59] had given delegates [1:15:00] to the Democrats [1:15:01] and they needed to act [1:15:03] the political arm [1:15:05] the White House [1:15:07] that's in the Supreme Court [1:15:08] those are the type [1:15:09] of hearings [1:15:10] we ought to have [1:15:10] we ought to have [1:15:11] hearings on [1:15:12] the changes in our laws [1:15:14] that don't allow people [1:15:15] to be represented [1:15:16] in the Congress [1:15:17] and changing the rights [1:15:19] and the opportunities [1:15:20] for African Americans [1:15:21] to be equal citizens [1:15:22] of this country [1:15:23] and it's being turned back [1:15:25] Sharia law [1:15:26] yeah let's take [1:15:27] not a good thing [1:15:28] but nothing like [1:15:30] what's going on [1:15:30] in the legislatures [1:15:31] and from the White House [1:15:32] America is being destroyed [1:15:34] from within [1:15:35] 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue [1:15:37] I thank the gentleman [1:15:44] from Memphis [1:15:45] for his comments [1:15:47] I would now recognize [1:15:48] a Republican [1:15:49] from one of the New England states [1:15:50] but we don't have any [1:15:51] so I'll recognize [1:15:53] the gentleman from Missouri [1:15:54] Mr. Hunter [1:15:54] thank you Mr. Chairman [1:15:56] and thank you Mr. Chairman [1:15:57] for holding this [1:15:58] very important hearing [1:15:59] Ms. Tyler [1:16:02] you represent [1:16:05] the Baptist Joint Committee [1:16:06] for Religious Liberty [1:16:08] that's correct [1:16:10] do you believe fundamentalist Islam [1:16:12] values religious liberty [1:16:13] I'm not here [1:16:17] I'm not here [1:16:18] to talk about theological position [1:16:20] how about the Muslim Brotherhood [1:16:21] do they value religious liberty [1:16:23] I'm not [1:16:25] I'm not [1:16:26] I mean these are the groups [1:16:27] you're here to [1:16:27] you're here to support [1:16:28] the Democrats brought you here [1:16:30] as a witness [1:16:31] I'm here for religious freedom [1:16:32] how about the Diabonis [1:16:33] is a southern Islamist sect [1:16:36] affiliated with the Taliban [1:16:37] do they value religious liberty [1:16:40] they're in Texas right now too [1:16:42] I'm not familiar with that group [1:16:44] I'm not familiar with that group [1:16:45] I'm not familiar with that group [1:16:46] I'm not familiar with that group [1:16:47] how about the Barlavelis [1:16:48] South Asian Sunni Islam sect [1:16:50] they're in Texas too [1:16:52] I'm not familiar with that group [1:16:54] how about the Salafis [1:16:56] let me know if you know any of this [1:16:57] the Khomeinists [1:16:58] the Turkish Islamists [1:17:00] all represented in various mosques [1:17:02] and Islamic centers in Texas [1:17:04] do any of them value religious liberty [1:17:06] I'm not familiar with them [1:17:08] do you believe religious liberty [1:17:13] do you believe religious liberty [1:17:14] is valued and upheld in the Islamic [1:17:17] Republic of Iran [1:17:18] I think that that's a theocracy [1:17:21] and so therefore it is not the [1:17:23] constitutional democracy that we [1:17:24] have that is built on the [1:17:26] foundation of religion [1:17:27] yeah how about the Taliban in [1:17:28] Afghanistan [1:17:29] I think those are examples of [1:17:32] Islamic states that don't support [1:17:34] religious freedom [1:17:35] Sudan [1:17:36] Sudan okay okay [1:17:37] why exactly would we want to [1:17:39] import mass numbers of people [1:17:41] committed to an ideology [1:17:46] and I'm not talking about Islam at [1:17:47] large because many Muslims I think [1:17:50] most Muslims probably do value [1:17:54] would like to live in a modern [1:17:56] secular or democratic republic [1:17:59] but we're talking about radical [1:18:01] Islamists and we're talking about [1:18:03] these radical Islamists establishing [1:18:06] beach heads in our country why do [1:18:11] you defend that Miss Tyler [1:18:13] well I think what I'm concerned [1:18:16] about of course we have criminal [1:18:18] laws and anti-terrorism laws that [1:18:20] okay that's good okay yeah should [1:18:22] we enforce our criminal laws [1:18:24] absolutely okay so we we should [1:18:26] not tolerate sexual enslavement in [1:18:28] the United States of America [1:18:30] right that's I think our criminal [1:18:32] laws protect against that good how [1:18:33] about honor killings for for a [1:18:36] young woman who dishonors her [1:18:37] family in some way that that [1:18:38] should be against the law in the [1:18:39] United States [1:18:40] as we discussed earlier murder is [1:18:41] illegal no matter the [1:18:42] justification [1:18:43] stoning for adultery right [1:18:44] correct [1:18:45] child marriage pedophilia right [1:18:47] those are against criminal law [1:18:49] in the United States [1:18:50] female circumcision is illegal [1:18:51] under federal law right now [1:18:52] that's right [1:18:53] so we have imams in many of these [1:18:57] centers we're talking about right [1:18:59] now who advocate for those very [1:19:01] things in our law in our in our [1:19:03] country why are we we should tell [1:19:06] we should tolerate this in the [1:19:08] name of religious freedom we [1:19:09] tolerate freedom of religion in [1:19:10] this in this country so we can [1:19:13] believe whatever we want and we [1:19:15] can act on those beliefs without [1:19:17] necessary government [1:19:18] interference and in this case [1:19:20] there is a compelling government [1:19:21] interest against murder against [1:19:22] the law against the laws I [1:19:24] listed you're not allowed to act [1:19:26] on those beliefs because it [1:19:28] would be against criminal law [1:19:30] thank you miss meckleberg I [1:19:33] believe that tolerating these [1:19:37] beach heads of radical Islam in [1:19:40] our country is literally [1:19:44] civilizational suicide and I think [1:19:47] we've seen Islamist terrorist [1:19:49] attacks in this country already [1:19:51] and we're seeing in many cases a [1:19:55] lack of assimilation not you know [1:19:57] not necessarily not by generally [1:19:59] people who immigrate on their own [1:20:03] you know work as a computer [1:20:05] engineer or in agriculture what [1:20:07] have you but but rather when they [1:20:09] they they they they join these [1:20:11] very closed groups that are [1:20:14] committed to imposing sharia law [1:20:16] you know tolerating that seems to [1:20:20] seems to be seems to be a utter [1:20:22] utter utter insanity and especially [1:20:25] if we see what's going on in [1:20:26] Europe right now if we see what [1:20:28] look at what's going on in [1:20:29] Germany and in in in London and [1:20:32] in France tell me where I'm wrong [1:20:35] so as you said the beach heads [1:20:41] that is what Erdogan says from [1:20:43] Turkey that he that the mosque is [1:20:45] the beach head when you hear care [1:20:47] speak about the mosque they speak [1:20:49] about that being their [1:20:50] infrastructure where all things are [1:20:52] launched out of they are having [1:20:53] these closed societies the goal is [1:20:55] and that's why you'll see with [1:20:57] most mosque expansion projects [1:20:59] happening in Texas they are [1:21:01] expanding and they are making [1:21:02] these enclaves where all things [1:21:05] emanate from that mosque and if [1:21:06] you see and you look in Germany [1:21:08] as you were just talking about [1:21:10] Erdogan had sent hundreds of [1:21:13] imams to head up the mosques [1:21:15] that were from the Turkish [1:21:16] government that a lot of them were [1:21:17] then found out to be spies and [1:21:19] we're seeing in this country [1:21:21] whether it's Saudi Arabia whether [1:21:22] it's Iran they're all sending [1:21:24] their proxies here and then [1:21:26] they're coming and they're having [1:21:27] the closed societies and they are [1:21:29] the beach heads as you said [1:21:31] thank you I yield back Mr. [1:21:32] Chairman I thank the gentleman [1:21:33] from Missouri and I'll recognize [1:21:34] the gentlelady from [1:21:35] Washington thank you Mr. [1:21:38] Chairman I have a lot of [1:21:39] respect for for the chairman of [1:21:40] this committee we work together [1:21:41] on a lot of issues but it is [1:21:42] bizarre to me to listen to this [1:21:44] hearing honestly now we've [1:21:46] suddenly made all mosques the [1:21:48] beach head of terrorism across [1:21:49] the country this is a very important [1:21:54] religion around the world and [1:21:56] certainly here in the United [1:21:58] States Islam is a very very [1:22:00] important religion and I go to [1:22:03] Mr. Cohen's comments about why [1:22:05] we're holding this hearing again [1:22:07] this is a redo by the way we've [1:22:08] done this before we're doing it [1:22:10] again at a time when we have so [1:22:13] many pressing issues that we [1:22:15] should be addressing in the [1:22:17] Constitution subcommittee we have [1:22:19] the issue of voting rights the [1:22:21] gutting of voting rights by the [1:22:23] Supreme Court the dilution of the [1:22:25] black vote in the United States [1:22:27] which should be at the top of our [1:22:29] list to talk about we have the [1:22:31] unconstitutional war in Iran that [1:22:34] is now cost at least 29 billion [1:22:37] dollars of taxpayer money that we [1:22:40] have not had a single hearing on [1:22:42] there's lots of things that we [1:22:44] could be talking about but see the [1:22:45] problem is if we were to talk [1:22:47] about any of those things you [1:22:48] would actually have to [1:22:49] acknowledge how incredibly [1:22:51] unpopular Republican policies [1:22:53] have been in driving up the [1:22:56] price of gas in this country in [1:22:58] my home state it's almost six [1:23:00] bucks for a gallon of regular [1:23:02] almost seven bucks for a gallon [1:23:04] of diesel you'd have to address [1:23:06] the rising cost of fertilizer of [1:23:08] groceries the fact that [1:23:10] Republicans stripped healthcare [1:23:12] away from millions of Americans [1:23:15] people cannot afford healthcare in [1:23:17] the United States of America the [1:23:18] richest country in the world we [1:23:19] have 90 million Americans who are [1:23:22] either uninsured no insurance at [1:23:24] all or underinsured meaning they [1:23:27] have some form of insurance but [1:23:29] it's not enough to pay their [1:23:31] medical bills and that is why we [1:23:32] have 220 billion dollars of [1:23:35] medical debt in the United States [1:23:37] America 220 billion dollars but [1:23:40] we're not talking about any of the [1:23:41] policies the unconstitutionality of [1:23:44] all of the things that this [1:23:45] administration has done that have [1:23:48] really ripped apart the [1:23:50] foundations of who we are as a [1:23:52] country instead we're going to [1:23:53] have a conversation about this [1:23:56] Sharia law and you know I've seen [1:24:00] in my home state of Washington but [1:24:02] across the country the rise in [1:24:04] anti-Muslim bigotry that has been [1:24:07] happening in the aftermath of [1:24:09] October 7th attacks and then in [1:24:11] the aftermath of 9-11 and in my [1:24:13] home state of Washington now [1:24:15] Muslim Americans reporting [1:24:17] experiencing hate crimes threats [1:24:19] of violence hateful rhetoric that [1:24:21] increases those threats of [1:24:23] violence discriminatory policies in [1:24:26] the workplace unsafe interactions [1:24:27] with law enforcement and this [1:24:29] hearing is unfortunately just part [1:24:31] of a much larger anti-Muslim anti- [1:24:35] Islam strategy that Republicans [1:24:38] have been trying to drive so [1:24:40] Miss Tyler I want to start by [1:24:42] correcting the record has there [1:24:44] ever been a piece of legislation [1:24:45] introduced in America to adopt [1:24:47] Sharia law no does Sharia law [1:24:51] require Muslims living in the [1:24:53] United States to violate American [1:24:54] law no and are there any state or [1:24:57] federal courts that follow Sharia [1:24:59] law instead of American law no [1:25:01] have you seen any poll in this [1:25:04] country to your knowledge that put [1:25:07] Sharia law at the top of the [1:25:09] concerns of Americans today no I [1:25:12] have not me neither me neither [1:25:14] nowhere does it show up as a top [1:25:16] concern so yet the policies that [1:25:19] are being proposed include the [1:25:21] establishment of a Sharia free [1:25:22] America caucus and the [1:25:24] introduction of a bill that would [1:25:26] deny immigration status to anyone [1:25:28] who quote adheres to Sharia law [1:25:30] and that's what we're talking about [1:25:32] Sharia law now these policies are [1:25:33] based on a myth that Sharia is [1:25:35] infiltrating our American legal [1:25:36] system and endangering the way of [1:25:37] life as envisioned by our [1:25:39] founding fathers so could you [1:25:40] please clarify for everyone [1:25:41] watching this hearing what is [1:25:44] Sharia law and is it any [1:25:46] different than what biblical law [1:25:47] teaches Christians about how to [1:25:49] observe their faith so Sharia is [1:25:52] translated or understood to mean the [1:25:53] path to water and it refers to the [1:25:55] religious principles that guide [1:25:58] Muslims in their beliefs and [1:26:00] actions so it's a set of rules on [1:26:02] how to pray and dress and fast and [1:26:05] other dietary restrictions and in [1:26:07] that way it's very similar to other [1:26:09] kinds of religious laws that [1:26:11] Christians or Jews or members of [1:26:13] other faith communities follow to [1:26:16] guide them in how they practice [1:26:18] their religion in many religions [1:26:20] there are extreme and violent [1:26:23] sects that don't represent the vast [1:26:25] majority of observance of the faith [1:26:27] you've done some work documenting the [1:26:29] rise of extreme white Christian [1:26:31] nationalism and its influence in [1:26:33] deadly shootings in Charleston [1:26:35] Pittsburgh and San Diego but I [1:26:37] don't see any of my colleagues on [1:26:38] the other side creating a caucus [1:26:40] to attack Christianity or [1:26:42] introducing a bill that would ban [1:26:43] Christians from entering the [1:26:44] country instead they want the ten [1:26:47] commandments to be posted in [1:26:48] every public school and we have [1:26:50] Trump administration officials like [1:26:52] Secretary Hickseth openly [1:26:54] saying that they are declaring that [1:26:55] quote America was founded as a [1:26:57] Christian nation and remains a [1:26:58] Christian nation in our DNA what [1:27:00] does that tell us about what's [1:27:01] really going on well I see all of [1:27:04] these actions that we're talking [1:27:06] about today is singling out one [1:27:08] religion for special scrutiny and [1:27:11] to denigrate a lot of the [1:27:13] stereotypes that have been [1:27:14] repeated here today to take the [1:27:16] actions of a few and extrapolate [1:27:19] that that's what somehow all [1:27:20] Muslims believe when we would never as [1:27:23] Christians say that for instance like [1:27:26] the killer at mother Emanuel AME [1:27:28] church who claimed that he was [1:27:30] there because of his religious [1:27:33] beliefs we wouldn't say that that [1:27:35] would extrapolate to all [1:27:36] Christians and so it is a double [1:27:38] standard and a very harmful one [1:27:40] that causes violence and [1:27:42] discrimination against our Muslim [1:27:44] neighbors and undermines the [1:27:46] principle of religious liberty I [1:27:47] thank you Mr. Chairman for your [1:27:48] indulgence I yield back I thank the [1:27:51] gentlelady from Washington I'll [1:27:52] now recognize my friend and [1:27:53] colleague from the great state of [1:27:54] Texas Mr. Gill thank you Mr. [1:27:56] Chairman and thank you for holding [1:27:59] a very important hearing and thank [1:28:01] you to the witnesses for taking the [1:28:03] time to come here Mr. Hunter Lopez I'd [1:28:07] like to better understand your story I [1:28:08] think it's important and thanks for [1:28:10] being here and being bold boldly telling [1:28:12] us about what happened and can you [1:28:14] tell us what are the requirements to [1:28:16] create a student club at your school [1:28:19] the requirements are to have 10 [1:28:20] members a teacher that's willing to [1:28:21] sponsor and a room to meet and did [1:28:23] the Republican club that you formed [1:28:27] meet those requirements we did on [1:28:28] day one it did and and was your club [1:28:31] allowed to to be created no we were [1:28:33] actually notified that we were [1:28:35] denied due to political nature even [1:28:37] though it wasn't for the [1:28:39] other ideological groups including [1:28:41] groups promoting gender [1:28:42] affirming ideology were approved why [1:28:43] do you think the school had such a [1:28:46] sort of obvious double standard I'm [1:28:48] not sure if it's the educational [1:28:50] establishment it could be any of [1:28:51] those it could be the principles [1:28:53] that have been in the system for [1:28:54] a while they just don't want [1:28:55] conservative values I think it's [1:28:56] a trend we've seen with you know [1:28:57] how Charlie Kirk was on campuses [1:28:58] and on high school campuses I [1:28:59] think that they think that they [1:29:00] think that they don't want [1:29:01] conservative values I think it's [1:29:02] a trend we've seen with you [1:29:04] know how Charlie Kirk was on [1:29:05] campuses and on high school [1:29:06] campuses I think that they think [1:29:08] conservative values are a threat [1:29:10] because they're true and how is the [1:29:12] school administration either [1:29:14] encouraged or supported world [1:29:16] hijab day our principal actually [1:29:19] wore the hijab two years in a row [1:29:21] that we know of it could be more [1:29:23] she's posted it promote on social [1:29:25] media saying she quote loved it [1:29:26] all caps and they're just [1:29:29] promoting these events like [1:29:30] nothing but our club on the other [1:29:32] hand has to receive strict you [1:29:34] know first of all we weren't [1:29:35] approved in the first place and [1:29:36] then once we were we were the only [1:29:37] club that couldn't have other [1:29:39] privileges other groups had and [1:29:41] they took down our posters and so [1:29:43] there's just a lot of things in [1:29:44] this double standard clearly to [1:29:46] favor the Islamic group is it true [1:29:48] that your school your school's [1:29:50] libraries offer Islamic literature [1:29:52] like the Quran and other things [1:29:54] yes so Macmillan junior high in [1:29:57] Wiley ISD offers a Quran but no [1:30:00] Bible available but no Bible so [1:30:02] there's a Quran but but the Bible's [1:30:04] not allowed correct is that true in [1:30:06] multiple libraries from what I know [1:30:09] confirmed it's Macmillan junior high [1:30:10] is one that I know of I can look at [1:30:12] the other libraries and submit them [1:30:13] to you if I find any other [1:30:15] findings okay have you talked to the [1:30:17] school about why they would allow a [1:30:19] Quran but not a Bible so I don't I [1:30:21] haven't the principles actually run [1:30:23] away from one run away from me and [1:30:24] hide so I can't have a discussion [1:30:26] with my principals because I act like [1:30:27] an adult and they act like children [1:30:28] yeah well you very much are acting [1:30:30] like an adult they probably don't [1:30:31] want to be on the record with that [1:30:34] policy given how egregious it is when [1:30:37] clubs such as your sponsor visitors [1:30:39] to come to the school and speak [1:30:41] about club interests whatever they [1:30:43] are are they subject to security [1:30:44] screenings so when our club has [1:30:46] guest speakers including a state [1:30:47] representative or a congressman we [1:30:48] have to submit two weeks in [1:30:49] advance paperwork we have to submit [1:30:50] a week in advance of the school [1:30:51] we have to submit two weeks in [1:30:52] advance paperwork we have to submit [1:30:54] a week in advance background check [1:30:56] we have to submit their staff if [1:30:57] they're coming all these lengthy [1:30:58] processes I often have to miss my [1:31:00] lunch period and skip lunch skip a [1:31:01] meal to fill these out but on the [1:31:03] other hand the Islamic group got [1:31:05] favorable treatment okay yeah what [1:31:07] were the security protocols that [1:31:09] were in place for the Islamic group [1:31:10] from what I know none none from [1:31:11] what I know so typically you have [1:31:13] to go through a lengthy background [1:31:15] process but but this is not a [1:31:17] specific process but it's not a [1:31:18] specific process but it's not a [1:31:19] specific process but it's not a [1:31:20] specific process but it's not a [1:31:21] specific process but it's not a [1:31:22] specific process but but this [1:31:24] Islamic group didn't have correct [1:31:25] obviously they didn't background [1:31:26] check you know the organization [1:31:28] because it has multiple terror [1:31:29] links and they didn't I guess [1:31:31] they didn't check the sharia [1:31:32] pamphlets that they gave us or the [1:31:33] crons with the shahada card they [1:31:34] hadn't they didn't they were [1:31:36] perfectly fine with it because [1:31:37] the principal was there that day [1:31:38] just looking at it perfectly fine [1:31:40] what's been the response from the [1:31:41] school since you've been public [1:31:43] and vocal about this double [1:31:44] standard like I said in my opening [1:31:46] testimony when my mom had [1:31:47] requested the principal to email [1:31:48] my teachers because I had to [1:31:49] miss school for the first day [1:31:51] after that and I had to go late [1:31:53] the second day because of death [1:31:54] threats and things like that and [1:31:55] my mom had as principal to email [1:31:56] my teachers just keep an extra [1:31:57] eye on me and the principal told [1:31:58] my mom you can so it's really [1:32:00] that speaks volumes to the [1:32:02] approach of leadership that the [1:32:03] school has in the school district [1:32:04] has because I guess they just [1:32:06] wanted to dismiss my safety in [1:32:07] that moment you received death [1:32:09] threats yes sir what were some of [1:32:11] the death threats could you tell [1:32:12] us about I had people saying that [1:32:14] they're gonna be at my house [1:32:15] waiting for me to get home and [1:32:16] they were gonna shoot me I [1:32:18] people telling me to kill [1:32:19] myself a lot of different things [1:32:21] but I know nobody can proclaim [1:32:22] anything over me because I wake [1:32:23] up every morning with victory [1:32:24] with Christ amen that's exactly [1:32:27] right what is the school's [1:32:30] response been to these death [1:32:31] threats like I said it that [1:32:34] first day was very dismissive I [1:32:37] actually received a death threat [1:32:38] last year and I had believe I [1:32:41] have emails and I could submit [1:32:42] them to the record of the [1:32:43] principal saying oh things are [1:32:44] already taken care of very I [1:32:46] would say downgrading it or just [1:32:49] minimizing specific situations I [1:32:52] could submit those emails to the [1:32:53] record I just want to be clear [1:32:55] you had a threat against your [1:32:56] life somebody saying that they [1:32:58] were going to come to your house [1:32:59] and murder you and your school's [1:33:01] response was dismissive correct [1:33:03] thank you mr. chairman that's [1:33:05] the end of my time thank you [1:33:06] appreciate it I thank my friend the [1:33:09] gentleman from Texas I will now [1:33:10] recognize the gentlelady from [1:33:11] California thank you mr. chair [1:33:12] you know of all the things to hold [1:33:17] a hearing on today why this a [1:33:21] sharia free America well that's [1:33:24] right it is election season which [1:33:27] means Republicans turn up the [1:33:29] fear-mongering to level 10 and [1:33:32] easy targets are members of our [1:33:34] Muslim community and this hearing [1:33:36] allows my Republican colleagues to [1:33:38] legitimize their religious bigotry [1:33:41] but today I am not participating in [1:33:44] this charade I have hosted numerous [1:33:46] town halls I am talking to my [1:33:48] constituents every single day and [1:33:50] no one has brought up sharia law it [1:33:53] is not a pressing issue but it is a [1:33:56] manufactured crisis because you [1:33:58] know what they are talking about [1:34:00] they're talking about the crisis of [1:34:02] this Republican Congress the [1:34:04] Constitution says that we have [1:34:07] oversight jurisdiction over the [1:34:09] administration that we have the [1:34:11] authority to authorize war and that [1:34:13] we have the power of the purse and [1:34:16] none of that is happening right now [1:34:18] the Trump administration has [1:34:20] launched a war of choice with Iran [1:34:22] and Americans are paying the price [1:34:24] the president said that he's not [1:34:26] thinking about the pocketbooks of [1:34:28] Americans he said no not at all so [1:34:31] millions of people are worried about [1:34:33] how they're going to eat this week [1:34:35] more than 100 million Americans carry [1:34:38] medical or credit card debt job [1:34:41] openings have fallen to their lowest [1:34:43] level since 2020 and all of this has [1:34:46] happened under Republicans watch [1:34:48] working families want to know how [1:34:51] they are going to survive this [1:34:53] economy and what Congress is doing [1:34:55] to help and the Republicans response [1:34:58] is to hold this up to hearing there [1:35:00] are real oversight issues that this [1:35:02] committee could be addressing right [1:35:05] now that deal with the Constitution [1:35:07] like the 1 billion dollar ballroom [1:35:09] that Trump wants taxpayers to pay [1:35:12] oh and by the way he wants to get a [1:35:14] cut from the contractor the Epstein [1:35:16] files continuing to cover them up [1:35:18] no accountability for survivors the [1:35:21] treatment of pregnant women in [1:35:22] federal custody attacks on our voting [1:35:24] rights and civil liberties raising [1:35:26] rising hate crimes and extremist [1:35:28] violence and criminal justice reform [1:35:30] instead Republicans are peddling [1:35:33] anti-Muslim conspiracy theories and [1:35:35] complaining about world religion [1:35:37] studies so let's get into it the [1:35:41] Constitution does not require [1:35:43] Americans to demand to abandon their [1:35:45] religion to participate in society [1:35:48] it protects the free exercise of [1:35:50] religion government does not get to [1:35:52] decide which faiths are acceptable [1:35:55] and which communities deserve [1:35:57] suspicion for many Muslims Sharia [1:36:00] simply refers to personal religious [1:36:02] guidance about prayer fasting charity [1:36:05] or family life not some attempt to [1:36:07] replace the United States Constitution [1:36:10] and suggesting otherwise unfairly [1:36:12] paints millions of Americans with a [1:36:15] broad and dangerous brush so the [1:36:17] religions that I know about are [1:36:19] Christianity Catholicism Hinduism [1:36:22] Buddhism and Islam and all are [1:36:25] premised on peace and real talk any [1:36:27] religion can get radicalized and [1:36:30] Christianity is being radicalized and [1:36:32] weaponized right now so we could [1:36:33] talk about that the tree of life [1:36:35] synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh [1:36:38] Dylann Roof massacring black [1:36:39] parishioners in South Carolina the [1:36:41] murder of Minnesota Rep Hortman and [1:36:43] her husband the massacre of Sikh [1:36:45] Temple members in Wisconsin the [1:36:47] radically charged plot to attack the [1:36:49] Baltimore power grid all violent [1:36:52] crimes committed by radicalized white [1:36:55] evangelical extremists so you talk [1:36:58] about American values and Miss [1:37:01] Meckleburg reference that women are [1:37:03] less than half a man that well you [1:37:05] know we're denying women health [1:37:06] care you talked about failing our [1:37:08] children while we're doing that here [1:37:10] cutting snap benefits cutting access [1:37:11] to education you talked about [1:37:13] marrying pedophiles well we're [1:37:15] covering up the Epstein files Islam's [1:37:17] not doing that the American [1:37:18] government is doing that and you [1:37:19] know what I'm not safe on the [1:37:21] streets either it has nothing to do [1:37:23] with being Islam which I'm not about [1:37:28] being black you talk about Saudi [1:37:31] Arabia well let's talk about Jared [1:37:33] Kushner getting two billion dollars [1:37:35] from Saudi Arabia no one seems to be [1:37:39] concerned about that so if we're [1:37:41] going to get into it let's get into [1:37:43] it but the American people deserve [1:37:46] committees that hold hearings grounded [1:37:49] in facts and not bigotry and there [1:37:52] has been zero evidence that Muslim [1:37:55] Americans are attempting to impose [1:37:57] religious law on the United States [1:37:59] last I check people are just trying to [1:38:02] figure out if they have enough money [1:38:04] for gas and to buy a dozen eggs and [1:38:08] with that I have some UCs that I want [1:38:10] to enter into the record Mr. Chair [1:38:13] gentlemen is recognized thank you sir [1:38:16] from the scientific study of religion [1:38:19] Christian nationalism and violence [1:38:21] against religious minorities in the [1:38:23] United States without objection [1:38:24] a quantitative analysis from PRRI [1:38:27] from May of 26 no quarter American [1:38:30] evangelicals and political violence [1:38:32] without objection from the center for [1:38:34] American progress 2020 how white [1:38:38] supremacy returned to mainstream [1:38:40] politics without objection and [1:38:44] lastly from the conversation August [1:38:47] 2025 active clubs are white supremacy [1:38:52] our white supremacy's new dangerous [1:38:55] frontier without objection thank you [1:38:57] and with that I yield back I also [1:38:58] have unanimous consent request I'd [1:38:59] like to insert a statement for the [1:39:00] record from our colleague Keith [1:39:02] Self my colleague from Texas [1:39:04] titled Sharif free America why [1:39:05] political Islam is free law [1:39:06] incompatible the United States [1:39:07] Constitution part 2 without [1:39:09] objection gentlelady from [1:39:11] Pennsylvania yes I sorry I have a [1:39:15] unanimous consent request I ask [1:39:16] unanimous consent to enter into the [1:39:18] record a statement from [1:39:19] representatives Carson Omar Tlaib and [1:39:21] Simon all of whom are Muslim American [1:39:24] members of Congress [1:39:26] without objection I also have a [1:39:28] unanimous consent request to enter [1:39:30] into the record statements from the [1:39:31] following organizations voicing strong [1:39:33] opposition to date today's hearing a [1:39:36] coalition letter signed by 35 [1:39:38] organizations that work to protect [1:39:40] and advance religious freedom and [1:39:41] civil rights care the US Council of [1:39:44] Muslim organizations and the [1:39:46] interfaith alliance [1:39:48] that objection yield back I'll now [1:39:51] recognize my other colleague from [1:39:53] Texas wait hold on just one more [1:39:54] you say yeah sure free of me this is [1:39:57] by Jessica waters it was in MS now [1:40:00] and it's about the the violent [1:40:02] threats that she received after [1:40:03] testifying before this committee in [1:40:05] the questioning of Mr. Gill May 8th [1:40:08] 2026 without objection I'll now [1:40:11] recognize the other gentleman from [1:40:12] Texas my good friend Mr. Hunt thank [1:40:14] you Mr. Chairman to Lopez you're a [1:40:18] 16 year old sophomore at Wiley High [1:40:19] School did you ever imagine that [1:40:21] your high school in Texas of all [1:40:23] places our great state of Texas of [1:40:25] course would become a breeding [1:40:26] ground for pro-sharia material and [1:40:28] Islamic conversation I would never [1:40:30] imagine that we would have a [1:40:33] hearing questioning the you know [1:40:36] legitimacy of terror link [1:40:38] organizations going to schools I [1:40:39] would never believe we would have [1:40:40] this but that's America we live in [1:40:42] and it's a it's a sad situation do [1:40:46] you think there's an incongruency [1:40:47] in the way you are treated as a [1:40:49] Christian in your school in the [1:40:50] juxtaposition of that in the way [1:40:52] that your school is welcoming [1:40:54] Sharia law and Islamic doctrine [1:40:57] yes there's a clear double [1:40:58] standard it's a shame that we are [1:41:00] here today and I'm sorry that we [1:41:02] have failed you but this is why we [1:41:03] have this caucus because we're [1:41:04] going to make sure that we get [1:41:05] this right everybody is treated [1:41:06] fairly regardless of your race [1:41:08] religion or creed to some people [1:41:10] in this room when I'm about to [1:41:11] say may sound a bit controversial [1:41:14] but it's not controversial [1:41:15] because it's true America is a [1:41:19] Christian nation we're founded [1:41:21] upon Christian values our [1:41:24] founders believed that our rights [1:41:26] did not come from government but [1:41:28] they came from God those ideals [1:41:30] shaped our institutions our [1:41:33] culture our laws and the very [1:41:34] moral foundation and fabric of [1:41:36] what I know is the greatest [1:41:38] country in the world now America [1:41:40] is also a country that welcomes [1:41:42] people from all backgrounds of [1:41:44] every culture and faith that's [1:41:45] actually what is a part of our [1:41:47] greatness and as somebody like me [1:41:49] that fought in combat to ensure [1:41:51] that anyone could come to this [1:41:52] nation and believe what they want [1:41:53] to believe and believe in the [1:41:55] first and second amendment rights [1:41:57] I welcome that more than you could [1:41:59] ever believe because I laid my life [1:42:01] down on the line to ensure that [1:42:03] that would happen let's be clear [1:42:05] about something assimilation to [1:42:07] American values and ideas matter [1:42:11] when we begin importing belief [1:42:13] systems and cultural values that [1:42:15] are fundamentally incompatible with [1:42:17] the principles that build this [1:42:19] nation we should not be surprised [1:42:22] when the social fabric begins to [1:42:24] fray let me be clear this is not [1:42:27] hateful this is not racist this is [1:42:30] not xenophobic and I can show I'm [1:42:32] not racist I've been black for like [1:42:34] my whole life for like 44 years I [1:42:38] see the Sharia law has no place to [1:42:40] use to usurp our Constitution in [1:42:43] these United States of America and [1:42:45] especially in our schools and [1:42:47] especially in our public [1:42:48] institutions America's legal [1:42:50] system is rooted in the [1:42:51] Constitution and equal justice [1:42:53] under the law not religious [1:42:55] extremism or parallel legal [1:42:57] systems we have learned from many [1:42:59] of our colleagues on the left that [1:43:01] this tends to be how they tack in [1:43:04] this general direction Ten [1:43:06] Commandments not allowed bad [1:43:08] Islamic pamphlets good Ten [1:43:10] Commandments bad free Korans in [1:43:12] schools good Ten Commandments bad [1:43:17] understanding Sharia law for [1:43:20] shores good this is the hypocrisy [1:43:23] that we Christian Americans are [1:43:25] quite sick of the same people who [1:43:28] mock or marginalize America's [1:43:30] founding values suddenly become [1:43:32] deeply tolerant when the ideology in [1:43:35] question is directed against [1:43:37] Western traditions and [1:43:38] institutions meanwhile Sharia law [1:43:41] is normalized and distributed to [1:43:43] children in school while [1:43:44] expressions of traditional faith [1:43:46] are treated like a threat [1:43:48] here's how things should work [1:43:50] math yeah free Korans no history [1:43:55] yeah Sharia brochures no science [1:44:00] is a very simple idea that should be [1:44:08] understood by all Americans one of my [1:44:12] best friends is a Muslim American [1:44:13] and he is a fight in Texas Aggie but [1:44:15] he actually sees himself as an [1:44:17] American first and has fully [1:44:19] embraced our culture and what it [1:44:21] means to be an American that's [1:44:23] good that's what we want that's [1:44:25] why we call this place a melting [1:44:27] pot I'm seeing a lot of talk from [1:44:29] my colleagues on the left too as we [1:44:32] shift toward this reinvigorated talk [1:44:35] about Jim Crow in the past of this [1:44:38] country and as someone who is a [1:44:40] direct descendant of a slave as [1:44:42] someone whose great great [1:44:43] grandfather was born on a [1:44:45] plantation I can assure you slavery [1:44:48] is over Jim Crow is dead when I go [1:44:52] anywhere I don't see any white only [1:44:54] signs I don't I promise you I am a [1:44:57] black man that represent a white [1:45:00] majority district in Texas the [1:45:02] great great grandson of a man born [1:45:04] in a plantation stands before you [1:45:06] today as a proud conservative [1:45:07] Republican from Texas as a believer [1:45:10] and follower in Christ and as a [1:45:12] believer in what this country can [1:45:14] be if we allow equality for not [1:45:16] just Muslim Americans not just [1:45:18] Buddhist Americans but also [1:45:20] Christian Americans like yourself [1:45:22] God bless you young man you give [1:45:24] me a lot of hope for the future of [1:45:28] this country thank you for having [1:45:29] the courage that you'll bet the [1:45:30] remainder of my time I think the [1:45:33] gentleman from Texas Mr. Hunt and [1:45:34] I'll recognize the ranking member [1:45:35] Ms. Scanlon thank you like to [1:45:39] return to perhaps the purpose of a [1:45:42] hearing which is to establish [1:45:44] facts rather than fiction with that [1:45:46] I'd like to have unanimous consent [1:45:48] to introduce a CBS article from [1:45:50] February 17th 2026 Wiley ISD a [1:45:53] school district investigates how the [1:45:57] white Islam group set up on campus [1:45:59] without approval objection I mean as [1:46:02] that story and others show that the [1:46:04] school district did in fact [1:46:06] investigate why an outside group came [1:46:08] in and set up and in fact staff [1:46:10] members were disciplined for not [1:46:12] following school procedures so let's [1:46:14] just pull back a little bit here and [1:46:17] and try to reground this hearing in [1:46:20] some facts because I think it's been [1:46:22] pretty well established by now [1:46:24] there's no credible evidence that [1:46:26] anyone in Texas or in the US [1:46:28] generally is trying to impose Sharia [1:46:31] law on Americans I mean it's really [1:46:35] this whole hearing is so offensive I [1:46:39] have a lot of Muslim constituents who [1:46:43] are wonderful constituents and [1:46:46] participate fully in our community [1:46:49] and you know I'm very proud that [1:46:52] they're my constituents and to hear [1:46:54] folks being vilified in this way [1:46:56] trying to have this anti-Muslim [1:46:59] rhetoric trying to tar every member [1:47:02] of a faith with the worst actions of [1:47:05] a few is pretty outrageous and [1:47:07] especially when some of those actions [1:47:08] are complete fiction look it is a real [1:47:11] change for the Republican Party in [1:47:13] this country you know Miss Tyler in [1:47:16] the wake of 9-11 we saw a spike in [1:47:19] violence against American Muslims and [1:47:21] then-President George W. Bush used the [1:47:24] power of his office to defend Islam [1:47:28] and American values he said and I quote [1:47:31] the face of terror is not the true [1:47:33] faith of Islam that's not what Islam [1:47:35] is all about Islam is peace and he [1:47:38] reminded us that America counts [1:47:40] millions of Muslims among our [1:47:42] citizens and they make incredibly [1:47:44] valuable contributions to our community [1:47:47] to our country and they need to be [1:47:49] retreated with respect and our [1:47:52] Republican colleagues seem to have [1:47:54] forgotten this example and are using [1:47:57] the House of Representatives to [1:47:58] platform religious bigotry so they [1:48:01] can fear-monger in an election year [1:48:04] when gas prices are spiking due to an [1:48:07] illegal war sparked by an unpopular [1:48:10] president from their party but when the [1:48:12] consequences of this demagoguery for [1:48:15] American Muslims and all Americans are [1:48:18] very real you have to look no further [1:48:22] than the Islamic Society of Orange [1:48:24] County which last month experienced a [1:48:27] spike in threats after Ms. Mecklen [1:48:29] Mecklenberg published some tweets [1:48:32] without foundation that they were [1:48:35] trying to start a Sharia compound [1:48:37] there it was complete fiction but it [1:48:39] caused a spike in threats Ms. Tyler [1:48:42] can you explain how religious fear [1:48:44] mongering endangers American Muslims [1:48:46] in our communities and undermines the [1:48:49] religious liberty of all Americans of [1:48:51] all faiths these attempts to paint [1:48:55] with a broad brush to bring all [1:48:58] members of a faith again to mark them [1:49:01] with the actions of the dangerous and [1:49:03] few makes everyone less safe and makes [1:49:07] everyone less free I talked to my [1:49:10] testimony about the real world [1:49:12] discrimination that Muslim Americans [1:49:14] face because of their faith but also [1:49:19] when we think about the hate crimes [1:49:20] that you've noted political violence [1:49:23] of all kinds is an urgent problem in [1:49:26] this country and as I hear about the [1:49:29] threats that have been made to some of [1:49:30] my fellow witnesses today that should [1:49:32] disturb us all and so the more that we [1:49:36] feed into misinformation stereotyping [1:49:40] that makes all of us less safe and [1:49:43] less free as a society thank you I [1:49:46] appreciate that I mean you know we've [1:49:49] got plenty of examples I think our [1:49:51] colleague referred to some examples [1:49:53] of Christian extremists who had gone [1:49:56] out and committed violence we've got [1:49:59] examples of a Tennessee Baptist [1:50:01] minister who was an advocate for [1:50:02] corporal punishment and even starvation [1:50:05] children three kids died because of [1:50:07] what he was preaching but we don't [1:50:10] condemn all Christianity as a result [1:50:12] as you pointed out previously we have [1:50:14] criminal justice and other American [1:50:16] laws that deal with criminal [1:50:19] behavior can you comment further on [1:50:21] that yeah our criminal system takes [1:50:25] care of the threats that it to the [1:50:27] extent that there are real threats [1:50:28] that have been put in the midst of [1:50:30] everything else we've talked about [1:50:31] here today criminal law takes care of [1:50:33] that but the first amendment to the [1:50:36] U.S. Constitution assures that no [1:50:38] religious law can supersede those [1:50:40] laws and and that is protection [1:50:43] enough and and that's why you know [1:50:45] these scare tactics are really just [1:50:48] that it's not a real problem in this [1:50:50] country well and that's where you [1:50:52] know certainly I'm not one who goes [1:50:54] about citing George W. Bush often but [1:50:56] the impact of words and leadership [1:51:00] matters when people demonize other [1:51:02] folks mr. chair I'd just like to have [1:51:05] unanimous consent to introduce an LA [1:51:08] times article from April 17th 2026 [1:51:11] Islamic Society of Orange County [1:51:13] under heightened security after [1:51:14] online threats without objection [1:51:16] thank you I yield back I will now [1:51:18] recognize I think the gentlelady for [1:51:21] a question I'll now recognize the [1:51:22] gentleman from Wisconsin for five [1:51:24] minutes well thank you I'd like to [1:51:28] thank you for having this hearing [1:51:29] kind of timely I happen to in my own [1:51:31] few hours a week that I have free I'm [1:51:34] reading at least the phonics book on [1:51:37] anti-semitism in the American [1:51:39] University and it's interesting to [1:51:42] look at the number of people in [1:51:45] analyzing what happened on October [1:51:47] 7th in this country seem to be in [1:51:51] on the side of the people who were [1:51:54] raping the little children and [1:51:55] chopping off heads and stuff it's [1:51:57] shocking there were so many people [1:51:58] like that in the United States and I [1:52:00] can certainly understand why a lot [1:52:03] of Americans are are very concerned [1:52:05] that people like that were brought [1:52:07] into the country again not an [1:52:09] isolated couple of people but it [1:52:11] seems to me whole groups of people [1:52:13] took the October 7th attacks as a [1:52:16] as a kind of almost a call to arms [1:52:21] they seem to be in favor of this [1:52:23] sort of thing which is kind of [1:52:27] shocking and I hope America I wish [1:52:30] more Americans would read those books [1:52:31] though they knew what how people [1:52:35] surrounding us think but we'll start [1:52:38] with Ms. Meck I guess we call you [1:52:40] that huh Ms. Meck that's what they [1:52:42] have here for members of this committee [1:52:44] who are not familiar with epic city [1:52:45] project can you walk us through what [1:52:47] the development is and behind it what [1:52:50] the organizers have said publicly [1:52:52] about if you don't mind could I [1:52:54] actually just respond to something [1:52:56] that you just brought up about the [1:52:58] the October 7th so what I find [1:53:00] interesting is on what what I heard [1:53:04] her just say about George Bush [1:53:08] George Bush after 9-11 stood with [1:53:10] Nihat Awad who is the head of care [1:53:12] after October 7th Nihat Awad [1:53:17] celebrated it Nihat Awad actually was [1:53:22] celebrating quote breaking the siege [1:53:24] so when I'm hearing somebody refer to [1:53:30] George Bush as if he is an Islamic [1:53:32] expert he is not and when I'm [1:53:35] hearing you're talking about October [1:53:37] 7th we have people in the room from [1:53:39] care right now we have people who are [1:53:41] from care who have somehow managed to [1:53:44] make themselves the victim of October 7th [1:53:47] and it's still we haven't been able to [1:53:49] have these conversations about how the [1:53:51] largest Islamic organizations in this [1:53:54] country were not denouncing what [1:53:58] happened on October 7th they were [1:54:00] actually not only celebrating it but [1:54:03] they're still marching in the streets [1:54:04] in support of what happened so it's [1:54:06] shocking that these people would be [1:54:08] left in this country shocking and not [1:54:10] and not and not only that but they mock [1:54:13] what has happened they all of the [1:54:15] things that you're talking about [1:54:17] I'll give you a question we've got [1:54:18] horrible nuts out there and that's [1:54:20] established have a lot of the are there [1:54:23] any mainstream Muslim groups who are [1:54:25] attacking or boldly trying to [1:54:29] separate themselves from these groups [1:54:32] that seem to be in favor of October 7th [1:54:34] no and none I haven't I haven't seen one [1:54:39] group that has come forward and has [1:54:41] been advocating and defending I've [1:54:43] heard a lot of victim talk I've heard [1:54:45] how they've been the victim I've heard [1:54:47] how they've been serious dealing with [1:54:49] hate and well wait a minute that said [1:54:51] this almost can't be true how about [1:54:53] the other three of you is anybody [1:54:55] heard of any significant Muslim groups [1:54:58] trying to disassociate themselves or [1:55:02] condemn those Muslim groups who are in [1:55:04] favor of the act over 7th attacks not [1:55:06] that I'm aware of sir I can't believe [1:55:10] that none of them I have not done that [1:55:14] research but I can tell you that [1:55:16] Muslim Americans spend a lot of time [1:55:18] disclaiming violence because of being [1:55:22] lumped in unfairly with again the [1:55:25] violent actions of the extremists in [1:55:28] their in their group this is this is [1:55:31] the game we play we're talking here [1:55:34] about you're talking about individuals [1:55:36] and I'm talking about an ideology so [1:55:38] we're going back and forth and we [1:55:41] want to keep conflating the two but [1:55:43] Islam is very clear on how they feel [1:55:44] about the unbeliever and there's [1:55:46] over a hundred and nine verses in the [1:55:47] Quran that say I the unbeliever they [1:55:50] wage violence towards me so you keep [1:55:53] trying to conflate it and I'm speaking [1:55:54] solely on Islam so and as far as the [1:55:56] crimes and the hate crimes you keep [1:55:58] talking about I don't ever see the [1:56:00] proof of this I hear a lot of [1:56:01] accusations but when I go back and I [1:56:03] try to find the records I don't see [1:56:05] anything that has registered there [1:56:07] just one more comment Ms. Mack in my [1:56:09] district we have an ethnic group the [1:56:11] Hmong and when the Hmong have [1:56:13] festivals they are so they want they [1:56:15] try so hard to be loved by the [1:56:17] broader American community they not [1:56:19] only don't they not only don't [1:56:20] dislike police they hire their own [1:56:23] police if they're having a festival [1:56:25] because they're so concerned about [1:56:27] what America thinks of that group I'm [1:56:29] just saying you don't see that that [1:56:33] same thing from the Muslim and I met [1:56:35] with my Muslims in my area but it's [1:56:38] kind of shocking to me that nobody on [1:56:43] the stage here can give us some [1:56:46] examples of you know maybe donating [1:56:50] money to the to the victims in [1:56:53] Israel or whatever doing something to [1:56:56] separate themselves from the [1:56:59] gentleman's almost time has expired I [1:57:01] appreciate the gentleman from [1:57:02] Wisconsin I appreciate his [1:57:03] questions I'll now recognize [1:57:05] myself for five minutes of [1:57:08] questions Mr. Blair you testified [1:57:11] that you spent a lot of time at the [1:57:12] border working with the border [1:57:14] patrol former service in the United [1:57:16] States Army you testified that a [1:57:18] significant number of people came [1:57:19] into the United States from people [1:57:20] from places from all over the world [1:57:22] including places the majority of [1:57:23] Muslim countries correct yes sir is it [1:57:25] correct roughly that we've got [1:57:27] roughly fifty one two three million [1:57:29] foreign-born people in the United [1:57:31] States you know representing about [1:57:32] sixteen percent of the population [1:57:34] yes sir that's correct and is that [1:57:35] we've seen an enormous uptick of [1:57:37] individuals from majority Muslim [1:57:38] countries since 9-11 yes sir we have [1:57:40] upwards of about five million [1:57:42] people yes sir we have is that [1:57:43] having a significant cultural impact [1:57:45] in the United States yes sir it [1:57:46] does is that worthy of exploration [1:57:48] and understanding that impact on [1:57:50] our history heritage and who we are [1:57:52] as a people 100% Mr. Hunter Lopez [1:57:54] people have been questioning about [1:57:56] why we're here you've testified here [1:57:57] on the record that you've had very [1:57:59] personal firsthand experience of [1:58:01] desperate treatment based on your [1:58:04] values as a Christian citizen of [1:58:06] the United States and those [1:58:08] promoting Islam in your school [1:58:09] correct correct so you've seen [1:58:12] firsthand how there's a promotion [1:58:14] in a small Texas town now an [1:58:16] increasingly suburban Texas town [1:58:17] of the Dallas-Fort Worth [1:58:18] Metroplex in promoting an Islamic [1:58:19] culture over a Christian culture in [1:58:21] your school that's roughly your [1:58:22] testimony is that correct correct [1:58:23] correct and every day I have more [1:58:24] teachers and students coming up to [1:58:25] me saying that they're realizing [1:58:26] what's going on because at first [1:58:27] people don't want to speak out [1:58:28] because they'll be labeled [1:58:30] Islamophobe or anything but the [1:58:31] people are starting to wake up to [1:58:32] what's going on thank you miss [1:58:33] Tyler are you familiar with the [1:58:34] significant amount of rape [1:58:35] gangs in the United Kingdom [1:58:36] can you repeat the question are [1:58:37] you familiar with the [1:58:38] significant amount of rape [1:58:39] gangs in the United Kingdom [1:58:40] okay it's been pretty much all over [1:58:54] the news very large numbers of [1:58:55] people being raped in the United [1:58:56] Kingdom by foreign nationals in [1:58:57] the United Kingdom with [1:58:58] significant allegations of being [1:58:59] heavily by Pakistanis and other [1:59:00] individuals that have that have [1:59:01] been immigrated into the United [1:59:02] Kingdom are you familiar with that [1:59:03] at all I am not familiar with [1:59:04] that miss Meckelberg are you [1:59:06] familiar with that very familiar [1:59:08] with that very familiar with [1:59:10] very familiar yes right and are [1:59:13] you also familiar with the [1:59:14] arbitration agreements that were [1:59:16] adopted in the United Kingdom [1:59:17] that have allowed significantly to [1:59:20] have societies and cultures that [1:59:22] are extra you know separated from [1:59:24] the civil laws of the United [1:59:26] Kingdom yes and and that is a [1:59:28] last 20 years kind of phenomenon [1:59:30] right where these arbitration [1:59:31] agreements are allowing [1:59:32] individuals in a separate [1:59:34] community adhering to Sharia law [1:59:35] to be separated from at least 85 [1:59:37] different tribunals in the United [1:59:38] Kingdom to be able to carry out [1:59:40] Sharia alongside and separate from [1:59:43] or even over civil law in the [1:59:45] United Kingdom correct are we [1:59:47] seeing similar things occurring in [1:59:48] the United States yes are we [1:59:49] seeing in the Dallas for the [1:59:50] Metroplex for example yes did [1:59:51] Governor Abbott have to take [1:59:53] action in order to deal with some [1:59:55] of these separate tribunals in [1:59:56] order to stop their existence [1:59:58] correct miss Meckel if you could [2:00:00] extrapolate on what I think is [2:00:01] one of the most important things [2:00:03] we need to address here which is [2:00:04] what you mentioned is Islam as [2:00:05] political ideology do you believe [2:00:07] that Islam is compatible with [2:00:10] Western civilization it is not I [2:00:12] agree with you do you believe [2:00:14] that Islam and carrying out its [2:00:17] mission is waging jihad against the [2:00:19] West absolutely is that a part of [2:00:22] the Muslim Brotherhood memorandum [2:00:23] from 1991 and the project and it [2:00:25] memorandum so it is a part of that [2:00:27] memorandum and other memoranda [2:00:28] correct and are the organizations [2:00:30] not just care other organizations [2:00:31] affiliated with the Muslim [2:00:32] Brotherhood to advance jihad against [2:00:33] Western civilization including [2:00:35] specifically targeting Texas and [2:00:36] the United States yes and is that [2:00:38] documented 100% are there a [2:00:40] mom's that are active in Texas and [2:00:42] throughout the United States that [2:00:43] are similarly championing such [2:00:45] jihad against the West to carry [2:00:47] out the tenants of Islam we have [2:00:48] them in their own words yes and [2:00:49] you have you put those online [2:00:50] they're out for display you've [2:00:52] seen words from imams in the [2:00:54] United States saying precisely [2:00:56] that they have been in the [2:00:57] United States to carry out the [2:00:58] tenets of Islam we have them in [2:00:59] their own words yes and you have [2:01:00] to carry out the [2:01:02] children of the United States [2:01:03] they have been in the United [2:01:04] States saying precisely this [2:01:05] language all across the United [2:01:07] States but very heavily in [2:01:09] Texas and so I'm gonna give you [2:01:10] the last minute here to close [2:01:12] about your concerns about why [2:01:13] this matters we're trying to put [2:01:15] a bow around all of this we've [2:01:16] had a massive immigration a [2:01:17] massive cultural shift direct [2:01:19] impact on schools for example in [2:01:20] the in the state of Texas and a [2:01:22] very clear mission tied to [2:01:25] memoranda and individuals that [2:01:27] have been frankly associated with [2:01:28] the Holy Land Foundation [2:01:31] prosecutions other terrorist [2:01:32] organizations care known [2:01:33] unindicted co-conspirators and [2:01:34] now we see what's happening [2:01:35] around the country last 30 [2:01:37] seconds for you to put a bow [2:01:38] around this so what concerns me [2:01:40] is we've imported an ideology [2:01:42] that we have absolutely no [2:01:44] education on and we have seen [2:01:47] all across the country I'm [2:01:49] seeing politicians here today [2:01:50] that are working with them I'm [2:01:51] seeing people who I don't know [2:01:53] whether you know or not but [2:01:54] they are infiltrating our [2:01:56] society they have come here to [2:01:58] take over the society they've [2:02:00] written it down in the project [2:02:02] in a 12-point plan you can read [2:02:03] it for yourself it's written down [2:02:05] in the memorandum they've come [2:02:07] to make this country like they've [2:02:09] made countries all across the [2:02:11] world Islamic so if we do not [2:02:13] take action we've already seen [2:02:15] what's happened in Europe we are [2:02:17] going to be worse off than the [2:02:19] UK because we have the thought [2:02:21] leaders in this country and they [2:02:23] are waging jihad on our society I [2:02:26] think the gentlelady and the [2:02:30] ranking member Ms. Taylor get her [2:02:32] extra minute now if there's [2:02:34] anything she'd like to respond to [2:02:35] the ranking member has asked for [2:02:36] an additional minute out of [2:02:37] courtesy I will do so I will I [2:02:39] will point out that I've given [2:02:41] significant extra time time to go [2:02:43] over I did so for the gentlelady [2:02:44] from Washington I did so for the [2:02:45] gentlelady from California and [2:02:46] others and they were to have [2:02:47] extra time trying to make sure [2:02:49] that I'll do that but out of [2:02:50] request from the gentlelady from [2:02:51] Pennsylvania the ranking [2:02:52] member I'll give Ms. Tyler a [2:02:54] minute thank you I think one [2:02:58] thing that's disturbed me today [2:03:00] is that we are talking about [2:03:02] political Islam Islam is a [2:03:04] religion it's practiced by 2 [2:03:06] billion people around the world [2:03:08] and approximately 1% of people [2:03:10] in the United States about 4 [2:03:12] million people in the United [2:03:13] States the numbers are a little [2:03:15] hard to pinpoint but there's [2:03:18] nothing inherently political [2:03:20] about Islam Islam like all other [2:03:23] religions can be used as an [2:03:26] instrument of the state to gain [2:03:28] and hold on to political power [2:03:30] but fortunately as we are all [2:03:32] celebrating in this 250th year of [2:03:35] American independence we live in [2:03:37] a country that's built on the [2:03:38] foundation of religious freedom [2:03:40] that protects everyone's right to [2:03:42] believe or not to believe to [2:03:44] adhere to any religion and that [2:03:46] the government stays out of the [2:03:48] way of religion the government's [2:03:50] role is not to dictate and there [2:03:51] is no establishment of religion in [2:03:54] this country thank you and I think [2:03:56] it's only from Pennsylvania I was [2:03:57] happy to give time I'm going to [2:03:58] close by pointing out that the [2:03:59] explanatory memorandum [2:04:00] explicitly states in black later [2:04:02] text quote a kind of grand jihad [2:04:04] in eliminating and destroying [2:04:05] the western civilization from [2:04:06] within and sabotaging its [2:04:08] miserable house with that this [2:04:10] concludes today's hearing we [2:04:11] thank the witnesses for [2:04:12] appearing before the subcommittee [2:04:13] today without objection all [2:04:14] members will have five [2:04:15] legislative days to submit [2:04:16] additional written questions [2:04:17] for the witnesses or additional [2:04:20] materials for the record without [2:04:21] objection this hearing is [2:04:22] adjourned