Republican Representatives Keith Self and Chip Roy have launched the Sharia-Free America Caucus, which has grown to 26 members
Supporters argue that Sharia law is incompatible with the U.S. Constitution and Western legal traditions, while calling Islam a religion from extremism.
Lawmakers backing the initiative framed it as a response to broader cultural and political concerns against the Sharia law in US institutions
Republican lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives have launched the Sharia-Free America Caucus, an initiative they say is aimed at opposing what they describe as the growing influence of Sharia law in the United States. The caucus was founded by Rep. Keith Self (Texas-03) and Rep. Chip Roy (Texas-21) and has expanded rapidly since its formation on December 18, 2025.
According to its organizers, the caucus now includes 26 members from 17 states, a development supporters say reflects increasing concern among conservative lawmakers over immigration, national identity, and the role of religion in public life.
Announcing the caucus, Rep. Self said it was created to defend constitutional principles and Western political traditions. “Preserving the American way of life is essential to protecting civil liberties and upholding the United States Constitution,” he said. “Sharia stands in direct opposition to our country and is totally anathema to the concept of individual freedom and our founding principles.”
Rep. Roy echoed those concerns, framing the issue as a direct threat to the U.S. legal system. “Sharia is a direct threat to our Constitution and Western values and seeks to replace our legal system and erode our basic freedoms,” Roy said. He added that immigration policy must confront what he described as an ideological challenge, arguing that “the preservation of America and Western civilization depends on it.” Several caucus members have said their opposition to Sharia law informs their support for stricter immigration policies.
Rep. Brandon Gill (Texas-26) said Texans were increasingly alarmed by what he described as the importation of “radical ideologies” through mass migration.
“I joined the Sharia-Free America Caucus to ensure Sharia never gains a foothold in America,” Gill wrote in a post on X accompanying a video statement.
Gill has argued that cultural compatibility should factor into immigration policy. Speaking during an appearance on One America News (OAN), he said, “The reality is that not all cultures are equal. And the reality is that different cultures are compatible with different governing systems.”
He claimed that Islam, when viewed as a political ideology, conflicts with constitutional freedoms such as freedom of speech, religious liberty, and the separation of religion and state. “Where civil law is subordinated to Islamic authority, freedom, prosperity, and security collapse,” he said.
During a one-minute address on the House floor, Gill warned that ideologically driven Islamic movements had destabilized regions around the world and cautioned against allowing similar influences to take root in the United States.
“Sharia law is not a personal creed,” he said. “It is a political and legal system… History shows that where Sharia gains influence, constitutional government gives way to coercion.”
See Also: Sharia Is Not One Law, But Three Layers: Why Europe ‘Doesn’t Understand Islam,’ Says Loz Moore
Other caucus members used even stronger language. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer described Sharia as “completely incompatible with the American way of life,” while Rep. Michael Cloud (Texas-27) said the Constitution must remain the supreme law of the land and warned against outside ideologies undermining American liberty. He described Sharia as “an assault on our Constitution, our freedoms, and the Christian foundations of our nation.”
Rep. Mary Miller (Illinois-15) said she joined the caucus to oppose what she called a “radical ideology” that threatens constitutional principles, while Rep. Andy Biggs (Arizona-05) described Sharia law as “antithetical to our Judeo-Christian values.”
Several lawmakers cited Europe as a warning. Rep. Andy Ogles (Tennessee-05) said, “Islam is conquering Europe,” describing Islam as a violent ideology and opposing its influence in American society. “Islam is a religion of violence, abuse of women, and ruthless political conquest,” he said.
Supporters of the caucus say its goal is to prevent any recognition or application of Sharia law within U.S. legal or governmental systems. The formation of the Sharia-Free America Caucus comes amid broader political debates over immigration, national identity, and religious freedom as the 119th Congress begins its work in Washington.
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