AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The New York Times, in an investigative report, reported on the intensification of Islamophobia in Texas and the increasing political and social pressure against Muslims, writing that simultaneously with the growth of Muslim communities in this state, some Republican leaders have increased their efforts to restrict Islamic institutions and activities. This report, based on more than 45 interviews conducted in mosques, businesses, and political events in Texas, indicates the formation of a wave of verbal attacks and political actions against Muslims.
Growing Concern in Muslim Communities
According to the report, Ghulam Kohar, a U.S. Coast Guard reservist, went to the "Valley Ranch" Islamic Center in Irving near Dallas for morning prayers before beginning his multi-month mission in early June. But this time, unlike previous missions, his concern was more for his wife and four children. He said verbal attacks by senior Texas leaders against Muslims have increased, and in various mosques across the state, Muslims speak of insults and hostile remarks directed at them during worship or public presence. In recent months, an individual was arrested in connection with a large Islamic center in Houston on charges of making terrorist threats; a woman in a Conroe store told Muslims they were "not welcome in this state or this country," and another woman in McKinney, during a controversial meeting about the development of a mosque, attacked the former mayor and inserted an anti-Islamic message into his clothing.
Muslims; A Growing Community in Texas
The New York Times writes that the Muslim population of Texas has increased over recent decades, and the Dallas-Fort Worth area has become one of the most important destinations for Muslim families. The immigrant population in the Dallas-Fort Worth area from Muslim-majority countries, according to census immigration data, increased from about 79,000 in 2014 to more than 159,000 in 2024. The number of mosques in the four largest counties of this area also increased from 28 mosques two decades ago to 76 mosques in 2020. However, the Muslim population is still estimated at about one to two percent of Texas's total population, and the New York Times lists their number between 300,000 and 500,000.
From Fighting "Radical Islam" to Pressure on Islamic Institutions
The report states that the promise to fight "radical Islam" has long been part of Republican politics in America, but in Texas, this approach has gone beyond slogans in recent years. A new turning point came in early 2025, following the release of the East Plano Islamic Center's plan to create a residential and commercial project centered around a new mosque on agricultural land east of Dallas. Subsequently, Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton launched investigations into some Muslim institutions. Abbott also attempted to block the project, pursued investigations into religious divorce counseling, threatened to cut state funding for airports that provide ablution facilities for Muslim travelers, and even declared the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) a "terrorist group," an action that, according to the New York Times, even the Trump administration has not taken so far.
"Until All Muslims Leave, I Won't Rest"
The newspaper writes that simultaneously with increasing pressure on Muslims, efforts have also been made to strengthen the presence of Christianity in Texas's public sphere. In June, Texas became the first U.S. state to mandate Bible reading in public schools, an action taken after requiring schools to set aside time for prayer and to display the Ten Commandments. On the other hand, Republican advisors have said that for many conservative voters in Texas, Islam has become a major concern since early last year. Anti-Islam activists and far-right candidates have also described Islam as incompatible with American values.
In one of the most explicit statements, Bo French, a Republican candidate at the state level, wrote on social media this summer, "Until all Muslims leave, I won't rest." At the Texas Republican Convention, several sessions were held on what was called the "Muslim invasion," and fighting Sharia law was raised as a legislative priority.
Efforts to Define Islam Outside the Concept of "Religion"
The New York Times also addressed the efforts of some Texas legislators to redefine the status of Islam in state laws. State Representative Alan Schoolcraft, a Republican from San Antonio, said, "One of the first things we are going to do is define what religion is. Islam is not just a religion; it is far beyond a religion." Some conservatives are seeking to use state laws to prohibit or regulate certain Islamic cultural and religious practices, including institutions that provide advice on marriage and divorce based on religious rules. Omar Suleiman, a well-known Muslim scholar, also criticized years of efforts to build interfaith understanding, saying, "We constantly tried to point to our history, and we hoped our history would speak for itself. We did that, and it did not benefit us." He called for a "powerful" stance and serious legal defense against attacks, saying, "We need to make lying costly for these people legally and politically. We must confront them."
Texas Muslims in the Face of a New Wave of Islamophobia
The report ultimately points to the concern of Muslims that their social and religious activity is being portrayed as "taking over" American society. In Frisco, north of Dallas, Dr. Farhat Sheikh, a Muslim physician, supported a mayoral candidate who had promised to unite the city; while his opponent spoke of the need to "assimilate" Muslims into American culture, and some supporters warned of the "takeover" of the city by Muslims. Sheikh responded that Muslim participation in society—from PTA involvement to volunteer work and professional employment—is itself part of their participation in American society, but even this participation may be attacked as an attempt to "take over" society. The New York Times concludes by emphasizing that Texas Muslim institutions have relied on constitutional protections, especially religious freedom under the First Amendment, to defend themselves; while efforts to redefine Islam as a political ideology, according to religious rights attorney Asma T. Uddin, could be an attempt to eliminate Islam from the concept of rights guaranteed to religions before the debate over religious freedom even begins.
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