There’s a humanitarian crisis taking place in Iran. However, it’s not the news currently making international headlines — it’s far worse.
Amid internet blackouts, I have the unique opportunity to speak directly with men and women in Iran through my line of work. Through these conversations, I am offered a rare glimpse into the harsh realities facing Iranian citizens, and my heart is burdened by the latest update I received.
They tell me stories of Iranian women, behind prison walls, being abused, silenced, and erased. Detained for boldly raising their voice and fighting for freedom against a brutal regime, these women are enduring unthinkable, dehumanizing acts of violence.
Reports from activists and former detainees explain that women in detention centers are experiencing extreme sexual abuse and violence, resulting in lasting physical and psychological trauma. Some women have even had their uterus removed or have suffered severe intestinal damage requiring surgeries such as the use of a colostomy bag.
The reason behind such abuse? Extreme religious doctrine.
According to human rights reports and firsthand testimonies, abuse against Iranian women has been justified by perpetrators using distorted religious reasoning. The most disturbing allegations are claims that these men believe they are considered “blessed” for raping a woman prior to her execution.
Global headlines may be focused on airstrikes and political moves, but this disturbing reality happening to women — fellow human beings — remains unseen and unaddressed.
This hidden abuse in detention centers reflects a broader societal issue in Iran, where the lives of young girls and women are marked by deep oppression and suffering. In the eyes of the regime, women are disposable, voiceless, unintelligent, worthless, and less than.
Women in Iran are suffering from horrific abuse. If we truly care about human rights, we as Americans must condemn this violence. And if we value our own freedoms, we must open our eyes to the threat unfolding before us in our very own nation.
These realities of oppression against women all have a common thread: they are accepted and taking place under Sharia-based laws. More importantly, the same radical, dangerous system of thought is infiltrating the West at this very moment, and Americans must take notice.
As an Iranian American woman, my heart breaks for what is happening in my home country. What&#8217;s even more unsettling is to witness the recent protests in America against the war in Iran, knowing Iran&#8217;s own citizens themselves are desperate for change, even if it means war.
To stand against the war in Iran is to stand with the Iranian regime. Before taking to the streets or rallying behind a cause or a group, it’s important to understand who and what you are supporting.
In Iran, the institution of marriage is steeped in patriarchal traditions that strip women of their freedom. Women must obtain the consent of a male guardian, which is typically their father or another male relative, before they can marry. This requirement not only undermines a woman&#8217;s right to choose her partner but also reinforces a troubling hierarchy that places men in control of women&#8217;s lives.
The legal framework governing marriage in Iran is alarming. The legal age for women to marry is a mere 9 years old. This practice not only robs young girls of their childhood but also subjects them to lifelong consequences, exposing them to forced marriages, early pregnancies, and a lifelong cycle of physical and emotional abuse.
Polygamy is another stark reminder of the inequality embedded in Iranian family laws. While men can take up to four wives, women are denied the right to have multiple husbands. This creates an unbalanced dynamic, where women are often left vulnerable and without legal recourse in the face of marital discord.
The legal system further compounds these injustices. In divorce proceedings, a woman&#8217;s testimony is frequently valued less than that of a man’s, placing her at a significant disadvantage. Women face immense hurdles when seeking divorce, with limited grounds for initiation, while men can unilaterally end a marriage. Custody of children often defaults to fathers after a certain age, further marginalizing women&#8217;s roles as caregivers.
Travel restrictions add another layer of control over women’s lives. In a society where women must seek their husbands&#8217; permission to travel or obtain a passport, the very notion of independence becomes a distant dream. Similarly, inheritance laws favor men, with daughters inheriting half of what sons do, reinforcing traditional gender roles and perpetuating economic disparities.
The societal expectations placed on women are equally stifling. Cultural norms pressure women to prioritize marriage and family over personal aspirations, creating a narrative that limits their potential. Temporary marriages, often viewed as a form of legalized prostitution, further exploit women, trapping them in precarious situations where they may feel compelled to sacrifice their dignity for economic survival.
In Iran, women are considered second-class citizens. Across all political, social, and legal systems, women face restrictions in movement, employment, public life, and personal autonomy. These barriers both reflect and reinforce one of the widest gender gaps that we are witnessing in the world today.
Finally, “honor killings” are far too common in Iran. Too many Iranian women and girls have been murdered by male family members for allegedly bringing “dishonor” to their families. While technically illegal, loopholes and cultural factors exist that have led to reduced sentencing for those who fulfill the honor killing.
As an American, I value the freedoms we enjoy, such as freedom of speech and religion. However, as Islam becomes more popular and grows in influence here in America, I worry that the lines between religion and Sharia Law will become blurred.
I understand deeply the great evil that is at the root of Sharia Law, which is the law of radical Islam. The systematic abuse of women in Iran is a direct result of a misguided, cruel, and religiously motivated agenda that seeks to destroy women.
If violence against women is normalized in places like Iran under the protection of Sharia Law, couldn’t these same ideologies and practices appear in the West if left unchecked?
America must remain diligent, proceed with caution, and raise awareness of a system of thought that could quickly and quietly gain support in our nation.
***
Lily Ricci is the director of Partner Relations at <a href="https://tracking.us.nylas.com/l/4f600e385bab4d99b5c32a56ffe1d631/0/9c24f19611f790ba8b57167eb5d6c0cceb1dcf1508aa278d165f05919890af1f?cache_buster=1778585892">Iran Alive Ministries</a>, which uses satellite TV to reach the millions of lost and broken people in Iran and the rest of the Middle East.

Iranian women gathered in Brussels

The Reality Facing Iranian Women Is Worse Than You Think

DW Opinion

Iran

Sharia Law

Women's Rights

Ordinarily, when a man affirms that American culture and Islam are mutually exclusive, that Muslims cannot assimilate because their allegiance to Sharia law trumps everything else, and that their religion will “make people feel uncomfortable,” you can assume he’s making a case for immigration restrictions.
Then along comes Shadi Hamid, a Muslim Washington Post columnist who happily asserts all these things in an ostensible effort to make the opposite case: reassure Americans that these are qualities they should embrace.
In reality, of course, Hamid’s arguments are likely to have the opposite effect, repel even those who harbored hopes that Muslim immigrants and their descendants would be assimilable. Indeed, he spent a great part of Wednesday dealing with the hornet’s nest that his op-ed kicked off online.
But there is a clue that Hamid must have known he was being disingenuous. He made sure to throw in a caveat: his co-religionists are American now, at least in what he claims is a vague “constitutional” sense, and aren’t going anywhere anyway.
Hamid, it is important to add, is not just anyone. He is a bona fide member of the establishment.
He is not just a columnist at the Post, where he published <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/04/08/muslims-religion-republicans-assimilation/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzc1NjIwODAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzc3MDAzMTk5LCJpYXQiOjE3NzU2MjA4MDAsImp0aSI6IjI3MTYxYzU5LWJkMWMtNDdhNC05N2UxLTI3NzNiYTVmZDQ5OSIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9vcGluaW9ucy8yMDI2LzA0LzA4L211c2xpbXMtcmVsaWdpb24tcmVwdWJsaWNhbnMtYXNzaW1pbGF0aW9uLyJ9.DcfeobpFw6plIp9OnTE01ldX4KJZ2hhwn0CNLh-lnxs">the piece</a>; he is also a senior fellow at Georgetown University’s Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, a former fellow at Stanford University, a former senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and the director of research at its Doha Center.
In other words, Hamid has shaped the thinking on Islam’s place in America from the highest of ivory towers and now popularizes it through a regular gig at one of the country’s most prominent newspapers.
And yet, rebutting his claims is not hard. Some are untrue (he wrote that most American Muslims were “born and raised here,” earning an <a href="https://x.com/shadihamid/status/2041920238510317941">X community note</a> showing that 58% are actually immigrants), other claims are only partly so, and still others are just downright specious.
Among the main arguments were the following: America no longer has a unifying culture to conserve; assimilation means secularization, and thus degradation; and Republicans should ally themselves with unassimilated Muslims because they have anti-gay views (yes, he really makes this argument).
In his piece, Hamid writes that “America was not founded on the assumption that its citizens would eventually come to agree on foundational questions.”
The Founders would like to have a word. They created the new country precisely on the premise that, if it took in immigrants, they would have to, as Alexander Hamilton put it, “get rid of foreign and acquire American attachments.”
Not for nothing did they make E Pluribus Unum — out of many, one — the country’s motto. The evidence is far too large to go through in a piece of this size, but numerous quotes from many of the Founders to this effect can be found in <a href="https://www.heritage.org/immigration/report/patriotic-assimilation-indispensable-condition-land-immigrants#_ftn27">this comprehensive study</a> I authored more than a decade ago.
But let’s quote at least George Washington, who wrote to John Adams that his hope with immigrants was that “by an intermixture with our people, they, or their descendants, get assimilated to our customs, measures, and laws: in a word, soon become one people.”
On the question of Sharia, Hamid avers that “practicing Muslims — despite being repeatedly asked to — can’t disavow ‘sharia’ even if they wanted to,” because it “includes guidelines on how to pray, fast and otherwise observe what it means to submit to God.”
But Sharia is a large system derived from Muslim sacred texts and their interpretation.
Many Muslim countries and clerics have interpreted things in ways that severely disadvantage more than 50% of society, women. Sharia is invoked to impose oppressive rules from dress codes to rules on inheritance, testimony, mobility, etc. I dare Hamid to show any evidence of conservative support for any of this.
Sharia is even invoked by some Muslim states in the punishment of homosexuality. Some American conservatives will rail against LGBTQ ideology when pushed on minors. But all conservatives would find the notion of throwing gays off buildings stomach-churning.
Thus, though Hamid is disingenuous throughout his arguments, he is particularly so when he says that “You’d think Republicans would sense an electoral opportunity.”
I don’t know about Republicans, but the conservative “crusade” as I understand it — and as President Donald Trump has pursued it, with universities, museums, etc. — is to conserve the unified American culture that Hamid not only repudiates but claims no longer exists (he writes in <a href="https://x.com/shadihamid/status/2042013918927667651">a tweet</a> “There is no longer any unified culture or set of supreme values that enjoy a consensus. We can lament this, but it&#8217;s a fact”).
First, as the X poster Noah Smith <a href="https://x.com/Noahpinion/status/2042017057366241560">pointed out</a>, there is plenty of evidence that “we actually agree on a lot more than politics suggests.”
But it is the Left — which denigrates this culture as much as Hamid — that has made a wartime alliance with political Islam. They sense that they both seek to deconstruct Western culture. In Europe, this is called “the Red-Green Alliance.”
To be sure, each side senses they will fall out with each other as soon as they destroy the unified culture. But medium-term alliances win wars, as World War II attests. (My money is on the Islamists crushing the silly Leftists if this dystopia ever came to pass).
The fight to save the West — against secularism, family breakdown, and the atomized individual — is real. But it presupposes that we save the unifying culture, which may be on life support yet still redeemable.
And for that I can quote evidence from one Shadi Hamid, who left no doubt in a 2016 Atlantic <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/06/islam-politics-exceptional/485801/">piece</a> on the Ottoman Empire that he understands that “spiritual unity” was foundational if there is a hope of establishing a legitimate political order.
That is why assimilation remains an indispensable condition in any land that takes in immigrants. Islam is one of the world’s great religions, but its practitioners don’t get a pass.
***
Mike Gonzalez is the Angeles T. Arredondo Senior Fellow at The Heritage Foundation. His book “BLM: The Making of a New Marxist Revolution” is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/BLM-Making-New-Marxist-Revolution/dp/1641772239">now available</a>.

TRT World Forum 2019

Shadi Hamid Makes Outlandish Claims About Islam, Assimilation, And America

Assimilation

Founding Fathers

Muslim Immigration

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed legislation expanding the state&#8217;s counterterrorism powers, allowing a handful of officials to issue domestic terror designations and implement restrictions on Sharia law.
<a href="https://www.flhouse.gov/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=84224&amp;SessionId=113">HB 1471</a> prohibits Florida courts from enforcing foreign or religious law that conflicts with the U.S. Constitution and blocks foreign judgments, contracts, or legal provisions that attempt to bypass those protections.
The legislation also requires disciplinary action, including expulsion, for students who &#8220;promote terrorist violence&#8221; and allows state institutions to lose funding for violating the law&#8217;s provisions.
&#8220;To uphold the rule of law, our state must operate under one legal system, the Constitution must remain the law of the land, and we must defend our institutions from those who would harm us—especially terrorist organizations that seek to infiltrate and subvert our education system,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/2041273577157136463?s=20">DeSantis said on X. </a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
To uphold the rule of law, our state must operate under one legal system, the Constitution must remain the law of the land, and we must defend our institutions from those who would harm us—especially terrorist organizations that seek to infiltrate and subvert our education… <a href="https://t.co/dyUHJCnBux">pic.twitter.com/dyUHJCnBux</a>
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/2041273577157136463?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
Under the law, a top official at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement can designate a group as a domestic or foreign terrorist organization, subject to approval by the governor and members of his cabinet, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/desantis-florida-terrorist-groups-free-speech-0b5dfb47052a17168919a3ce3c80dead">according to the Associated Press</a>.
The measure passed both chambers of the state legislature mostly along party lines.
Florida&#8217;s bill follows a recent legal battle over DeSantis&#8217;s designation of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a controversial Muslim civil rights group, as a terrorist organization. On March 5, U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker <a href="https://www.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/DeSantis-Order-Granting-PI.pdf">issued a preliminary injunction</a> blocking the order.
Sharia law represents the religious legal system and moral code of Islam, which derives mostly from the teachings of the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad. Many Muslim-majority countries apply aspects of Sharia law to their legal frameworks, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Pakistan, and Iran, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/smart-facts/what-shariah-law-n859981">according to NBC News. </a>
The Sunshine State follows other conservative-led states in enacting anti-Sharia legislation. <a href="https://belonging.berkeley.edu/islamophobia/anti-muslim-legislation-map">A University of California, Berkeley analysis</a> finds that at least 13 states, mostly located in the South, have passed and implemented anti-Sharia laws between 2010 and 2020.
In November 2025, President Donald Trump signed an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/11/designation-of-certain-muslim-brotherhood-chapters-as-foreign-terrorist-organizations-and-specially-designated-global-terrorists/">executive order</a> designating the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization.
&#8220;We have a responsibility to defend and reinvigorate Western Civilization, and that means protecting against creeping sharia in all its forms,&#8221; DeSantis <a href="https://x.com/RonDeSantis/status/2041286700140257368?s=20">said in a social media post. </a>
CAIR&#8217;s Florida chapter decried the legislation as &#8220;draconian&#8221; and &#8220;blatantly unconstitutional.&#8221;
&#8220;By empowering the Governor’s cabinet with new powers to designate his political opponents as terrorists without due process using secret evidence, these bills flout the basic notions of justice that all Americans expect from their government,&#8221; CAIR-Florida Interim Executive Director Hiba Rahim <a href="https://cairflorida.org/press/cair-florida-condemns-draconian-police-state-bills-awaiting-gov-desantis-signature/">said</a>.
The law is set to take effect on July 1.

Islamic Jihad Hold Gaza Rally

Red State Slams Door On Sharia Law, Ramps Up Fight Against Domestic Terrorism

DeSantis

Florida

laws

Muslim

In 2019, a journalist asked Iranian Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif why people are executed in Iran for being gay. His <a href="https://www.iranhr.net/media/files/Rapport_iran_2024-WEB.pdf">response</a>: “Our society has moral principles. And we live according to these principles … That means that the law is respected, and the law is obeyed.”
Under Islamic law, homosexuality is a crime punishable by imprisonment or execution for those who violate it. One could assume the conservative Islamic regime would produce similar consequences for transgenderism. But it is, in fact, legal and religiously permissible.
In the Western world, LGBT advancements are seen as a form of liberation. But in Iran, a complex dichotomy remains — where homosexuality can lead to death, yet transgenderism is given the green light. However, the practice is not celebrated so much as it is utilized as a cure for homosexuality. And in some cases, it is involuntary.
Transgenderism in Iran first surfaced in the 1980s. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founding supreme leader of the Islamic Republic, issued a fatwa — a religious decree — to legalize transgenderism, with the requirement that they are diagnosed with gender dysphoria and undergo surgery for sex changes. <a href="https://iranwire.com/en/women/124596-influential-iranian-women-maryam-khatoonpour-molkara-1950-2012/">Maryam Khatoon Molkara</a>, an Iranian transgender activist, is credited as the driving force of the movement. After years of writing letters and persisting with Khomeini, even visiting his home to plead his case, Molkara convinced the supreme leader to authorize transgender surgery in 1987.
Khomeini determined there was nothing in religious law that condemned transgenderism; rather, it could medically serve as a correction for the mental disorder.
A religious cleric, Hojatolislam Muhammad Mehdi Kariminia, famously <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7259057.stm">said</a> an operation is no more a sin than &#8220;changing wheat to flour to bread.&#8221;
He said, &#8220;Islam has a cure for people suffering from this problem. If they want to change their gender, the path is open.&#8221;
But Kariminia clarified his stance on homosexuality. &#8220;The discussion is fundamentally separate &#8230; Absolutely not related. Homosexuals are doing something unnatural and against religion,&#8221; Kariminia added.
However, ongoing reports suggest transgenderism in Iran may at times be exploited. Put plainly, some may be forced to transition.
A New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/world/middleeast/iran-transgender-surgery.html">article</a> published in October 2025 highlights the paradox: “For 40 years Iran has performed more gender transition surgeries than many other nations, largely a result of pressuring gay and gender-nonconforming citizens to undergo unwanted operations or risk the death penalty.”
The United Nations also expressed its concerns in a 2023 <a href="https://docs.un.org/en/CCPR/C/IRN/CO/4">report</a> that gay and lesbian Iranians are being &#8220;pressured into undergoing gender reassignment surgery without their free consent.”
An Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/a66b2167bb1744e6b12ba8ff1ef97c21">article</a> from 2018 stated that transgender surgery in Iran aims to cure the &#8220;disease,&#8221; and that those who &#8220;choose not to undergo surgery and get new documents can face arrest by police for dressing in a way that contradicts their government-recognized gender.”
As one of the few Muslim countries that offer these surgeries, Iran seems to be capitalizing on the endeavor: &#8220;Now, faced with an economy crippled by war and sanctions, the Islamic Republic is promoting its expertise to a global audience, hoping to attract transgender foreigners with the promise of inexpensive surgeries packaged with luxury hotel stays and sightseeing tours,&#8221; the Times noted.
According to the website of the medical company IranMedTour, compared to the cost of a transgender procedure in the United States (which can be $45,000), transgender surgery in Iran is much lower, with prices less than $12,000. &#8220;Other companies advertise procedures at government hospitals for as low as $4,500.”
The goal, according to the outlet citing Iranian media, is to raise over $7 billion annually in medical tourism.
What started as a plea for &#8220;transgender rights&#8221; from Molkara has turned into a compulsory crackdown on homosexuality and a vending machine bringing in cash from the rest of the world.

Trans_Gay_Fate_Iran

You Can Be Trans In Iran, But Being Gay Might Get You Killed

Global Politics

Islam

LGBTQ

Transgender

transgender surgery

World

In a viral video, a 12-year-old Texas boy took a stand for religious neutrality after his local school district allowed a Muslim outreach group with alleged ties to anti-Christian ideology to distribute Islamic materials — including head coverings and Sharia law pamphlets — to students during school hours.
Leland Saunders, a resident of Farmersville, delivered a blistering rebuke to the Wylie Independent School District board following a February 2 incident at Wylie East High School. The controversy erupted after an outside organization called &#8220;Why Islam&#8221; was permitted to set up a massive promotional booth during the lunch period to celebrate &#8220;World Hijab Day.&#8221;
According to reports, the group handed out copies of the Quran and hijabs to female students. Most concerning to parents, however, was the distribution of literature advocating for Sharia law. The &#8220;Why Islam&#8221; organization is owned by the Islamic Circle of North America, a group whose website reportedly openly attacks &#8220;Pauline theology&#8221; and denies the divinity of Jesus Christ. &#8220;
According to a review by <a href="https://www.christianpost.com/news/school-blames-procedural-breakdown-for-group-passing-out-qurans.html">The Christian Post</a>, &#8220;the Why Islam website promotes anti-Christian ideology that includes statements <a href="https://www.whyislam.org/jesus-pbuh/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">declaring  </a>Jesus is &#8216;not the Son of God&#8217; and an <a href="https://www.whyislam.org/pauline-theology/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">entire page</a> devoted to criticism of New Testament teaching, or what the website terms &#8216;Pauline theology.'&#8221;
While the district scrambled to frame the incident as a mere &#8220;procedural breakdown,&#8221; young Leland Saunders wasn&#8217;t buying the bureaucratic excuses.
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A 12-year-old from Farmersville, Texas, pushes back after Muslims handed out “hijabs, Qurans and Sharia law pamphlets” at his public school.
&#8220;Even if participation was voluntary, handing out religious texts during school hours crosses the line&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/7oiXRG0DPt">pic.twitter.com/7oiXRG0DPt</a>
— Chaya’s Clan (@ChayasClan) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChayasClan/status/2024764129848815647?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Public schools serve students from many different religious backgrounds, and students who have no religious beliefs at all,&#8221; Saunders said. &#8220;Because of that, I believe our schools must remain neutral when it comes to religious promotion during the school day.&#8221;
The 12-year-old highlighted the double standard often found in modern public education, questioning whether the same platform would be afforded to other faith groups.
&#8220;If one religious organization is allowed to distribute materials, would every religious or ideological group be allowed to be given the same opportunity?&#8221; Saunders asked. &#8220;If so, how will that be managed fairly? If not, how is that even equal treatment?&#8221;
The incident first gained national attention after a viral video posted by Marco Hunter-Lopez, president of the school’s Republican Club, exposed the outreach effort, the Christian Post reported. Hunter-Lopez noted that while colleges and secular clubs are common fixtures at the school, he had never seen a Christian church allowed to hand out Bibles in the cafeteria. &#8220;They were giving out hijabs to girls throughout the high school, and they were giving our Qurans, and they also had pamphlets about Sharia law,&#8221; he <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/wylie-isd-investigates-how-why-islam-group-set-up-on-campus-without-approval/">said</a>.
Wylie ISD officials have since admitted that &#8220;district protocols for guest speakers and student club interactions were not followed.&#8221; A staff member was briefly placed on leave but has since returned to work. While Board President Bill Howard issued an apology, promising to &#8220;earn your trust back,&#8221; the district’s &#8220;Wylie Way&#8221; values are under intense scrutiny by families who say the school crossed the line from education into religious indoctrination.
For Leland Saunders, the mission was simple: to protect the boundary between the classroom and religion. &#8220;This is about maintaining neutrality, fairness, and a religious boundary from education and religion,&#8221; he concluded.

Islamic Sharia law and legal system concept

WATCH: 12-Year-Old Shreds School Board After Sharia Pamphlets Handed Out

Texas

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Monday that he was investigating whether a development project linked to a Dubai-based company was going to be a “sharia city.”  
Paxton, a Republican, said he was taking action to examine a development underway in Kaufman, Texas, about 34 miles southeast of Dallas. The development drew attention after an American subsidiary of the Dubai-based SEE Holdings purchased thousands of acres of land near Kaufman, and claims circulated that up to 20,000 foreign nationals would be moving there. 
“There will be no ‘sharia city’ in Texas under my watch,” Paxton said. “While you’re on American soil, you will obey America’s laws. I have launched this investigation to determine the nature of this development in Kaufman County and will be thoroughly investigating this matter for any unlawful actions.” 
The land was purchased in connection with the Delaware-based Kaufman Solar, Paxton <a href="https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-announces-investigation-potentially-illegal-sharia-city-development">said</a>. Paxton has requested information from SEE Holdings and Kaufman Solar, including communications with the city and government officials, the relationship between the two companies, and details on the planned development. 
Paxton’s investigation comes after The Daily Caller published a <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2026/02/04/kaufman-solar-llc-texas-plano-epic-sustainable-city-dubai-saudi-middle-east/">report</a> noting concerns from residents that there could be up to 20,000 foreign nationals coming to the “sustainable” development.
Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX) told The Daily Caller that SEE Holdings contacted him about the development. 
“The group reached out to me, and I said under no circumstances would we accept any planned community that included mosques or religious buildings or schools. Twenty thousand foreigners is news to me, but that would also be a nonstarter, obviously,” he told the outlet. 
“If they were from New York and not Dubai, then we likely wouldn’t be concerned, but considering what our neighboring counties have been through, they’re going to have to actively involve the community to get buy-in, and that has yet to happen,” he added. 
Kaufman Solar is a limited liability company registered in Delaware that was founded in August 2022. Its registered agent is the Delaware-based Nextera Registered Agency, and <a href="https://kaufmancountytx.new.swagit.com/videos/320652">minutes</a> from Kaufman County commissioner meetings show that NextEra Energy Resources represented Kaufman Solar during talks with city officials. 
The Daily Wire reached out to SEE Holdings and NextEra Energy Resources. They did not immediately respond to requests for comment. 
After publication, NextEra Energy Resources told The Daily Wire that neither it &#8220;nor Kaufman Solar is affiliated with or involved in the proposed sustainable city development in Kaufman County.&#8221;
Last year, Paxton launched a similar investigation into EPIC City, a planned Muslim community in northern Texas. Paxton sued in December to stop construction of the city, alleging that developers violated state securities laws. The developers have denied any wrongdoing. 
“The leaders behind EPIC City have engaged in a radical plot to destroy hundreds of acres of beautiful Texas land and line their own pockets,” Paxton said. “I will relentlessly bring the full force of the law against anyone who thinks they can ignore the rules and hurt Texans.”
In recent months, Republican lawmakers have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republicans-take-stand-against-sharia-law-with-new-house-caucus">stepped up calls</a> for the need to ban Sharia law in the United States. Last week, House Republicans launched the Sharia Free America Caucus, saying that Islamic law was incompatible with the Constitution.

US-POLITICS-CONSERVATIVES

Probe Launched Into ‘Sharia City’ Plan On U.S. Soil: ‘You Obey America’s Laws’

Islamic-Centered Community Was Planned On U.S. Soil Until A Republican Exposed It

Dubai

Ken Paxton

Radical Islam

House Republicans held the debut press conference of the Sharia Free America Caucus on Tuesday, warning that Islamic law is incompatible with the U.S. Constitution, and that its influence poses a growing threat to American law and culture.
The caucus, co-chaired by Representatives Keith Self (R-TX) and Chip Roy (R-TX), levels sharp criticism at what lawmakers described as the spread of Sharia-based practices through immigration and cultural accommodation. Supporters say the group will focus on preventing Sharia law from gaining any foothold in U.S. governance, while critics have condemned the effort as discriminatory toward Muslims.
At the press conference, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) described “radical Islam” as a “cult that has taken over every second of every day,” framing the caucus’s work as a defense of the American way of life. Co-chair Roy emphasized the constitutional implications, stating, “Sharia is a direct threat to our Constitution and Western values and seeks to replace our legal system and erode our basic freedoms.”
Self highlighted the growth of Muslim communities in Texas, pointing to 20 new mosques in North Texas over the past two years. “First of all, it would be simply, ‘We want a community.’ Then the police can’t come in. And the contracts, the covenants of the area say that you may buy if you’re the right kind of person, you may sell to the right kind of person,” he said, describing what he called a creeping influence of Sharia principles.
The caucus also supports legislative measures, including “No Sharia Legislation,” designed to prevent special immigration benefits for individuals advocating Sharia law, and backing Texas’s Proposition 10, a March ballot measure aimed at restricting Sharia influence in the state. Self noted the Trump administration’s recent designation of Muslim Brotherhood branches as terrorist organizations as a milestone for the caucus’s objectives.
Prominent members, including Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) and Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL), emphasized the caucus’s mission as a defense of constitutional governance rather than a target against religious communities. Donalds declared, “Sharia has no place in America. We will not surrender our freedoms,” while Miller said she would “stand firmly against this radical ideology that seeks to uproot the constitutional principles and Christian values on which our nation was founded.”
While the caucus’s rhetoric is fiery, its leaders acknowledge that translating concern into law will be key. By focusing on policies grounded in historical American jurisprudence, Republicans aim to ensure their legislative efforts align with constitutional authority while addressing what they see as an ideological threat.
As debates over immigration, national security, and religious freedom intensify, the Sharia Free America Caucus positions Republicans to proactively safeguard constitutional governance and protect American legal and cultural norms. How the caucus addresses the issue at hand will dictate its success in that mission.

Rep. Chip Roy

Republicans Take Stand Against Sharia Law With New House Caucus

Byron Donalds

Chip Roy

Congress

Muslims

Politics

Tommy Tuberville

Florida Congressman Randy Fine and Texas Rep. Keith Self on Friday introduced legislation that would ensure that Sharia law cannot be implemented anywhere in the United States.
The “No Shari’a Act” would prohibit the application of Sharia “where such application would violate constitutional rights,” according to a copy of the legislation shared with The Daily Wire. Both Fine and Self said that the measure was intended to protect Western culture and ensure that the United States would not be taken over by Islamic radicals. 
“We are not going to become a Muslim nation. There are plenty out there,” Fine told The Daily Wire. “If you want to live under Sharia, return to where you came from, but we’re not interested in you coming here and conquering our country.”
Self said the influence of Shariah was already present in Texas. 
“We cannot have two sets of laws,” he told The Daily Wire. “There is one in the United States. It&#8217;s called the U.S. Constitution and the state laws under states of course, but we cannot have two different civilizations with different laws.”
The issue came to a head in Texas with controversy over the planned EPIC City development outside Dallas that was intended to be a Muslim community. Critics worried that the development would implement Sharia.
The legislation says that the “the Constitution of the United States is and must remain the supreme law of the land, and no foreign law or legal system may be permitted to undermine it” and that “no court shall enforce a judgment, decree, or arbitration decision if it relies, in whole or in part, on Shari’a or any foreign law that violates the constitutional rights of any party.”
Fine referenced the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/muslim-mayor-in-dearborn-michigan-tells-christian-resident-you-are-not-welcome-here">recent confrontation</a> in Dearborn, Michigan, where a Christian resident was told he was not welcome in the city by Muslim Mayor Abdullah Hammoud after he spoke out in opposition to naming a street after Arab American publisher Osama Siblani.
“We do not want to replicate this barbaric Middle Age philosophy in this country, and we need to make that clear, this is not welcome in the United States,” Fine said. “We need to respond to the Islamists saying Christians are not welcome in Dearborn by saying, no, you are not welcome here.”
Self said that Sharia allows for child marriages, husbands to beat their wives, honor killings, and genital mutilation. He said these practices were “not compatible with U.S. law, U.S. Constitution, and our civilization.”

Roof of the blue dome mosque at dawn

Florida Congressman Introduces Bill To Ban Sharia Law: ‘We Are Not Going To Become A Muslim Nation.’

Randy Fine

In a move sparking national backlash, a Houston-based imam affiliated with the Nation of Islam <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15078883/Sharia-patrols-Texas-alcohol-pork-ban.html">launched a campaign</a> demanding Muslim-owned stores stop selling pork, alcohol, and gambling products—or face public protests. Imam F. Qasim ibn Ali Khan of Masjid At-Tawhid, speaking in viral videos circulating on TikTok and X, issued ultimatums to shop owners, warning that demonstrations will escalate unless “haram” items are purged from their inventory.
“We’re just getting started,” Khan told one store clerk. “In 30 days, we’re going city-wide.”
His message? Sharia compliance or public shaming. Khan&#8217;s demonstrations in front of local businesses have drawn comparisons to hardline “Sharia patrol” tactics seen in radicalized areas of Europe.
Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott didn’t mince words in response.
“I signed laws that BAN Sharia Law and Sharia Compounds in Texas,” he posted on X. “No business &amp; no individual should fear fools like this.”
Abbott urged Texans to report any attempts to impose Sharia compliance to law enforcement or the Department of Public Safety.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I signed laws that BAN Sharia Law and Sharia Compounds in Texas.
No business &amp; no individual should fear fools like this.
If this person, or ANYONE, attempts to impose Sharia compliance, report it to local law enforcement or the Texas Dept. of Public Safety. <a href="https://t.co/cVV2MJItLH">https://t.co/cVV2MJItLH</a>
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) <a href="https://twitter.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/1965173662262448320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Critics warn the imam’s campaign is not only coercive but a potential flashpoint for creeping extremism. Videos show Khan confronting Muslim shopkeepers, insisting they’re violating Islamic law by selling forbidden products.
“We should love what Allah allows and hate what Allah hates,” he said while leading demonstrators through inner-city neighborhoods. “Little by little, one by one, we’re going to be visiting all the stores.”
Although no violence has been reported, the rhetoric is undeniable. Khan calls it da’wah—religious outreach—but the optics tell a different story. Armed with protest signs and camera crews, Khan accuses fellow Muslims of betraying their faith for profit, warning that the “best of the community” will only be realized through strict Islamic adherence.
Khan’s mosque, Masjid At-Tawhid, flies a Palestinian flag and employs private security personnel in uniforms that resemble local police. His red henna-dyed beard and firebrand style have become a visual marker of his strict Sharia-first ideology. While his protests remain within the bounds of free speech—for now—his message is unmistakable: Muslim-majority areas should adhere to Islamic principles, or face public pressure.
This comes amid broader concerns over Sharia-linked developments in Texas. Earlier this year, Abbott announced the state had halted construction on the so-called “EPIC City”—a proposed Muslim-only community near Dallas allegedly designed to operate under Sharia law.
“There is no construction taking place,” Abbott said, confirming multiple state and federal investigations into the project’s legality. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and Attorney General Ken Paxton both raised constitutional concerns over religious discrimination and segregation.
Abbott connected the dots: “Texas takes matters like this seriously,” he wrote. “This is America. We don’t bend the law for imported ideologies.”
The rise of self-declared Islamic enforcers like Imam Khan—armed with a smartphone and a platform—signals a growing clash between religious radicalism and American law and culture. For now, Texans aren’t having it.
Neither is their governor.

Gov. Greg Abbott –  called a second special session

Sharia Law Comes Knocking In Texas. Abbott Slams Door Shut.

Greg Abbott

Religion

New York City is not only poised to have its first Muslim mayor but also its first mayor who blatantly refuses to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggV2SeiGrVw">condemn</a> the widely used motto “Globalize the Intifada.”
When asked three times on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” the Ugandan-born, democratic socialist assemblyman from Queens, Zohran Mamdani, refused to condemn the appalling call for violence. This should, at the very least, be unsettling for New Yorkers and Americans alike.
Not only is the call for intifada a petition for violence, but it is also a call for the installation of Islamic rule. One of the tenets of the Intifada is the complete installation of Sharia Law. For those who care about human rights, few things should cause more concern than the implementation of Sharia Law. To put it mildly, Sharia Law’s track record on human rights is far from stellar. Nearly all of the 35 countries that have adopted Sharia Law are on the <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/map-shows-countries-human-rights-watchlist-us-2043007">Human Rights Watch list</a> at “closed” or “repressed” levels – the two most at-risk categories. Also, countries with Sharia law make up nearly half the countries designated as <a href="https://www.uscirf.gov/countries/2025-recommendations">“Countries of Particular Concern”</a> on the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom’s list.
What’s even more alarming is the exponential growth of Sharia Law around the globe. In 1980, Saudi Arabia was the only country that officially applied Sharia Law. By 2000, that number had risen to 16. Currently, more than 35 of the 195 countries in the world have incorporated Sharia Law in their legal systems.
Sharia Law enforces Islamic principles in civil and criminal matters, guided by the subjective interpretations of the mostly male Islamic scholars (called Fiqhs), formalized through consensus (called Ijmas). It governs issues like apostasy, blasphemy, alcohol consumption, stealing, adultery, homosexuality, and forced marriages. Punishments, known as Hadud, vary but are severe in strict Quran-adhering regions and range from death for apostasy, blasphemy, or homosexuality; caning (often 40 lashes) for alcohol or drug use; hand amputation for theft; and stoning, flogging, or genital mutilation for other offenses.
These are the realities of Sharia Law when fully applied.
As the founder of <a href="https://www.acrossnigeria.org/">a mission</a> working in the remote and dangerous <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-silent-slaughter-inside-nigerias-christian-persecution-crisis?author=Brad+Brandon&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=The+Silent+Slaughter%3A+Inside+Nigeria%E2%80%99s+Christian+Persecution+Crisis">northern region of Nigeria</a>, I have seen the horrific impacts Sharia Law has on people. I have spent nearly a third of my adult life in areas that impose strict interpretations of the Quran and regularly enforce the cruel punishments of Sharia Law.
Years ago, I saw a young man flogged 40 times in a village for using drugs, his guilt vaguely established. Sharia’s standards of proof are low compared to modern legal systems. Later, I met an older man with both hands amputated for stealing – once in his youth, then again while struggling with hunger, in a country where people barely earn enough money to feed themselves. Others I know face life in brutal prisons for apostasy or blasphemy. Sharia’s punishments – flogging, amputation, imprisonment – deliver severe consequences that should make anyone concerned about basic human rights shudder.
Sharia Law has little to no regard for human rights and almost never shows mercy to those who trespass its pretenses, including women and children.
Sharia Law’s emergence in states with rising Muslim populations, like my <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6QC_qEyl0Q">home state of Minnesota</a>, worries me. In the U.S., Sharia currently operates through local councils that mediate disputes and personal matters within Muslim communities, always under state and federal laws.
Yet, challenges arise. In 2009, New Jersey Superior Court Judge Joseph Charles relied on a <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/advocates-of-anti-shariah-measures-alarmed-by-judges-ruling">family’s Imam</a> in a spousal abuse case, denying the woman a protective order. Though an appellate court overturned the ruling, this case reveals Sharia’s potential to influence U.S. legal systems, extending beyond community guidelines and testing national authority.
In Europe, there is no greater example of Sharia Law’s infiltration than in the United Kingdom. The U.K. is now being called the <a href="https://www.gbnews.com/news/britain-sharia-law-courts-western-capital">“western capital” of Sharia Law</a>, with more than 85 “councils” operating across the country. These Islamic councils have become a blatant assault on human rights, particularly against women and children. Under Sharia Law, a woman’s testimony is worth half of a man’s. This discrimination has far-reaching effects in matters of spousal abuse, divorce, child custody, and financial matters just to name a few. According to these Sharia councils, a woman’s right to divorce is heavily restricted, whereas a man’s right to divorce is unilateral. These kinds of discrimination are illegal in the government and workplaces in the U.K. But when it comes to Sharia Law they are promoted.
The most alarming aspect of this is that under the <a href="https://lawandreligionuk.com/2012/10/24/sharia-law-the-arbitration-act-1996-and-the-arbitration-and-mediation-services-equality-bill/">U.K.’s Arbitration Act</a>, the rulings of these Sharia councils are precedent rulings and are being used in the British courts. This is happening across Europe. In so much that the Council of Europe has <a href="https://eclj.org/religious-freedom/pace/le-conseil-de-leurope-sinquite-grandement-de-lapplication-de-la-charia-en-europe?lng=en">issued a report </a>stating they are “greatly concerned” by the application of Sharia Law in Europe, specifically listing the U.K., Greece, Germany, and Chechnya. This imposition of Sharia Law has even created enough concern in the U.S. that <a href="https://www.mapsofworld.com/answers/united-states/states-outlawed-sharia-law/">16 states have passed legislation banning Sharia Law,</a> and more than two dozen have anti-Sharia bills introduced.
It&#8217;s not hyperbole or hysterics to be concerned about the imposition of Sharia Law and its inhumane practices in the United States. All one has to do is look at the scores of Western countries that have opened the door to it. In every case, human rights are being trampled and disregarded. It’s not at all unreasonable for every American to be concerned when the Democratic nominee of the nation’s largest city is a man who will not condemn the idea of a global intifada and its assault on human rights through the spread of Sharia Law.
* * *
<a href="https://www.acrossnigeria.org/ourfounder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brad Brandon</a> is the founder and CEO of <a href="https://www.acrossnigeria.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Across Nigeria</a>. Since 2018, he has been actively serving in predominantly high-risk, highly persecuted areas like Northern Nigeria and other parts of West Africa.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Lantern that have moon symbol on top with blurred focus of paper cut for mosque shape background.

The Global Rise Of Sharia Law And Mamdani’s ‘Intifada’ Silence

The Global Rise Of Sharia Law And Mamdani’s 'Intifada' Silence

Africa

Europe

New York City

Nigeria

Opinion

United Kingdom

Whoopi Goldberg took a wave of backlash after she used her platform on ABC&#8217;s &#8220;The View&#8221; to claim that black Americans — even in the year 2025 — were no better off than Iranian citizens living under the brutal and oppressive Islamist government.
Goldberg and cohost Alyssa Farah Griffin <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-view-goes-sideways-when-two-cohosts-claim-black-americans-are-worse-off-than-iranians">squared off</a> on the topic during Wednesday&#8217;s broadcast, when Griffin correctly pointed out the fact that an Iranian woman would likely be arrested — or worse — for stepping foot outside wearing even the relatively modest outfit she had on at the time. &#8220;I can’t have my hair showing, I can’t wear a skirt, I can’t have my arms out,&#8221; she said.
Goldberg apparently objected to the idea that Iranians were more oppressed than black Americans, and said, &#8220;Listen, here’s the thing — let’s not do the — let’s not do that, because if we start with that, we have been known in this country to tie gay folks to the car.&#8221;
“I’m sorry, but where the Iranian regime is today is nothing compared to the United States,” Griffin interjected, again correctly.
&#8220;They used to just keep hanging black people!&#8221; Goldberg exclaimed, and continued to press the point.
But much like their reaction when Goldberg claimed that the Holocaust was &#8220;not about race,&#8221; critics quickly made it clear that they were not buying her assertions.
Guy Benson drove the point home during an appearance on Fox News&#8217; &#8220;America&#8217;s Newsroom,&#8221; saying at first, &#8220;I call that show a daily national televised insane asylum for a reason.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🔥TORCHED: <a href="https://twitter.com/guypbenson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@guypbenson</a> just DECIMATED Whoopi Goldberg &amp; &#8220;The View&#8221; for their &#8220;moral idiocy.&#8221;
&#8220;I call that show a daily national televised insane asylum for a reason&#8230;&#8221;
&#8220;Our government PROSECUTES hate crimes. They don&#8217;t commit them&#8230;!&#8221;
&#8220;Whoopi Goldberg&#8230;is one of the most… <a href="https://t.co/T4cRg9tVMy">pic.twitter.com/T4cRg9tVMy</a>
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/1935709087108379072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;It&#8217;s hard to overstate the moral idiocy of what we just heard there,&#8221; he said, marking Goldberg as the prime source of that. &#8220;Alyssa Farah is making the point correctly about how people are subjugated brutally by the Iranian regime and Whoopi&#8217;s like, &#8216;Oh, look at what we do here in the U.S. There are hate crimes here.'&#8221;
&#8220;Our government prosecutes hate crimes,&#8221; Benson added. &#8220;They don&#8217;t commit them as a matter of course. For her to say, &#8216;Oh, well, if you&#8217;re black in the United States in 2025, it&#8217;s basically the same as being a dissident or anyone in Iran, that is deeply, deeply ignorant.&#8221;
&#8220;Hi Whoopi Goldberg!&#8221; another posted. &#8220;You say your life is just a brutal as Iranian women. Meet Nika Shakarami. After the IRGC kiIIed Mahsa Amini, the 16-year-old burned her scarf in protest and vanished. The IRGC delivered her corpse to her parents — who only identified her by her birthmark.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Hi Whoopi Goldberg!
You say your life is just a brutal as Iranian women.
Meet Nika Shakarami.
After the IRGC kiIIed Mahsa Amini, the 16-year-old burned her scarf in protest and vanished.
The IRGC delivered her corpse to her parents — who only identified her by her birthmark. <a href="https://t.co/A5LwwtWuqv">pic.twitter.com/A5LwwtWuqv</a>
— dahlia kurtz ✡︎ דליה קורץ (@DahliaKurtz) <a href="https://twitter.com/DahliaKurtz/status/1935432160045056288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Whoopie Goldberg believes black women in America are more oppressed than women living under the Islamic Regime… Whoopie can freely travel without the consent of a male relative, show her hair, sing, dance, and express her unfiltered s****y opinions on TV without being arrested… Meanwhile Iranian women are kidnapped, raped, and beaten for simply showing their hair… Whoopie is a &#8216;useful idiot,'&#8221; another added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Whoopie Goldberg believes black women in America are more oppressed than women living under the Islamic Regime…
Whoopie can freely travel without the consent of a male relative, show her hair, sing, dance, and express her unfiltered shitty opinions on TV without being… <a href="https://t.co/iHS88Z5E0b">pic.twitter.com/iHS88Z5E0b</a>
— The Persian Jewess (@persianjewess) <a href="https://twitter.com/persianjewess/status/1935405502059725113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) weighed in as well, saying, &#8220;If America were anything like Iran as she suggests, Whoopi Goldberg would be punished for the way she bashes our country. But because she lives in America, she has the freedom to say idiotic things on TV everyday. That’s the beauty of our country.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
If America were anything like Iran as she suggests, Whoopi Goldberg would be punished for the way she bashes our country.
But because she lives in America, she has the freedom to say idiotic things on TV everyday.
That’s the beauty of our country. <a href="https://t.co/lTFYqyTqvw">https://t.co/lTFYqyTqvw</a>
— Congressman Jeff Van Drew (@Congressman_JVD) <a href="https://twitter.com/Congressman_JVD/status/1935414121194750410?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Whoopi Goldberg

‘Moral Idiocy’: Whoopi Goldberg Trashed After Claiming Black Americans Worse Off Than Iranians

'Moral Idiocy': Whoopi Goldberg Trashed After Claiming Black Americans Worse Off Than Iranians

Alyssa Farah Griffin

Media

Racism

The View

Texas Governor Greg Abbott says the state has put an end to all construction of EPIC City, a massive development planned outside Dallas that was intended to be exclusively for Muslims and where sharia law was expected to be imposed on residents when it came to fruition.
“Texas has halted any construction of EPIC City,” Abbott declared on Sunday on X. “There is no construction taking place. The state of Texas has launched about a half dozen investigations into this project. That includes criminal investigations. And, the US Department of justice is also investigating. This matter, and similar matters, are taken very seriously, and actions are being taken to address all concerns.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Texas has halted any construction of EPIC City.
There is no construction taking place. 
The state of Texas has launched about a half dozen investigations into this project. 
That includes criminal investigations. 
And, the US Department of justice is also investigating.… <a href="https://t.co/5NDbOkzxTL">https://t.co/5NDbOkzxTL</a>
&mdash; Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) <a href="https://twitter.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/1921630359415910639?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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His statements came days after news that the Trump administration&#8217;s Department of Justice had launched an investigation into the project. Last month, Texas Sen. John Cornyn (R) <a href="https://www.fox4news.com/news/cornyn-federal-investigation-epic-city-paxton-state-investigation">called on the administration</a> to carry out the probe, <a href="https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/news/cornyn-calls-on-doj-to-investigate-epic-city-following-accusations-of-religious-discrimination-sharia-law/">saying</a> it was a discriminatory &#8220;religious settlement where Islamic principles govern not only daily life and education, but commerce.&#8221;
&#8220;A master-planned &#8216;community of thousands of Muslims&#8217; could violate the constitutional rights of Jewish and Christian Texans, by preventing them from living in this new community and discriminating against them within the community,&#8221; Cornyn said. &#8220;I further encourage the Department to investigate whether Christians, Jews, and other non-Muslim minorities would receive equal protection under the law in this new community. Religious-based discrimination, whether explicit or implicit, is unconstitutional under the First and Fourteenth Amendments.&#8221;
The same day, Texas GOP Attorney General Ken Paxton announced he was investigating communications between the East Plano Islamic Center — around which EPIC City was to be built — and officials in the Texas towns of Plano, Richardson, and Wylie.
“If any local official is supporting or communicating with a real estate development that is under investigation for potential violations of state law, then it’s imperative that we are made aware of exactly what’s being communicated,” Paxton said. “We will thoroughly review these documents as part of our ongoing investigation into EPIC City and work to hold accountable anyone who breaks Texas law.”
The news of the Muslim development comes as similar projects have made headlines in Texas. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/colony-ridge">Colony Ridge</a>, a massive development outside of Houston, has become a breeding ground for crime due to an influx of illegal immigrants who have flocked to it. It is similarly under federal investigation and has been targeted by Texas officials, most recently with raids on illegal immigrants carried out in coordination with the federal government.
Abbott says the Islamic center is being investigated by a dozen state agencies, including whether or not its planned practice of refusing to sell or rent housing based on religion would break state law, according to the <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/investigations/3408146/greg-abbott-halts-contruction-epic-city-muslim-community-texas-doj-investigation/">Washington Examiner</a>.

US-NEWS-TEXAS-ABBOTT-SCHOOL-CHOICE-NY

Texas Says It’s Halted Construction Of Muslim-Centered ‘EPIC City’ Outside Dallas

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