Democrats Advance Censure Efforts Over GOP Anti‑Muslim Posts Targeting Muslims and NYC Mayor Mamdani
Democrats have moved to censure GOP lawmakers after a string of anti‑Muslim social‑media posts — Rep. Shri Thanedar filed a resolution to censure and remove Rep. Andy Ogles from the Homeland Security Committee for saying “Muslims don't belong in American society,” and Democratic leaders are coordinating a separate push against Rep. Randy Fine for posts calling for “more Islamophobia.” The posts, including Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s “enemy is inside the gates” image pairing a 9/11 photo with NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani (which Mamdani called bigotry), have drawn sharp rebukes from Schumer and other Democrats but face long odds given the GOP majority and limited Republican condemnation.
📌 Key Facts
- Multiple House Republicans posted anti-Muslim content: Rep. Randy Fine posted ‘If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one’ and ‘We need more Islamophobia, not less’; Rep. Andy Ogles asked “Name one country that is freer and safer because Muslims moved there” and urged repeal of the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act; Rep. Brandon Gill called for “mass remigration” and said “No more Muslims immigrating to America.”
- Rep. Riley Moore announced plans for a bill to denaturalize and deport any naturalized citizen who commits or plots terrorism or aids terrorist organizations.
- Sen. Tommy Tuberville shared an End Wokeness post juxtaposing a 9/11 photo with an image of NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani at a Ramadan Iftar and wrote that the “enemy is inside the gates,” later adding a follow-up post labeling “Radical Islam” a “CULT,” claiming non‑Muslims are “the ENEMY” under Sharia law and saying radical Islam is “NOT compatible with the Constitution.”
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani directly pushed back on X, criticizing the outrage over him “breaking bread with New Yorkers” and contrasting it with political inaction on child hunger.
- Democrats — including Reps. Josh Gottheimer, Mark Pocan, Yassamin Ansari and Rep. Shri Thanedar, plus Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries — sharply condemned the rhetoric; Ansari urged Speaker Mike Johnson to reprimand Randy Fine or strip his committee assignments and Democrats are coordinating censure efforts against Fine and Ogles.
- Rep. Shri Thanedar formally introduced a two‑page censure resolution targeting Rep. Andy Ogles that quotes his anti‑Muslim posts and would remove Ogles from the House Committee on Homeland Security.
- House Democratic leaders signaled willingness to back censure (Jeffries told Speaker Johnson to “get your Members under control”), but Democrats are concerned about giving Fine and Ogles the attention they seek and face long odds because Republicans hold the House majority; Axios reported only one Republican, Rep. Don Bacon, has publicly criticized the rhetoric so far.
- Axios notes the controversial posts came the same day as attacks at Temple Israel in Michigan and Old Dominion University in Virginia, linking the timing of the Republicans’ social‑media activity to those incidents.
📊 Relevant Data
Between 2014 and 2022, there were 22 jihadist terrorist attacks in the United States, representing 18% of the 118 total jihadist attacks in North America and Europe during that period.
Jihadist Attacks in the West: 2014-2022 — Program on Extremism, George Washington University
In jihadist attacks in the West from 2014 to 2022, 55% of perpetrators were citizens of the country where the attack occurred, 19% were legal residents, and only 10% were irregular migrants.
Jihadist Attacks in the West: 2014-2022 — Program on Extremism, George Washington University
Since September 11, 2001, jihadist-inspired attacks have killed 121 people in the United States, compared to 137 killed by far-right terrorism, with jihadist perpetrators including a mix of US-born individuals, converts, and immigrants from various backgrounds.
Terrorism in America After 9/11 — New America
The US Muslim population was estimated at 3.45 million in 2017 (1.1% of the total population) and grew to about 5.9 million by 2020, with projections reaching 8.1 million by 2050, largely attributed to immigration enabled by the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act.
Muslim population change — Pew Research Center
📰 Source Timeline (4)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) has formally introduced a two-page censure resolution targeting Rep. Andy Ogles, explicitly quoting his post that 'Muslims don't belong in American society' and other comments about Muslims 'breeding their way through our society.'
- Thanedar’s resolution would not only censure Ogles but also remove him from the House Committee on Homeland Security.
- Democratic leadership is actively coordinating with rank-and-file members on a separate censure effort against Rep. Randy Fine, with Rep. Yassamin Ansari saying his comments 'should have already resulted in censure.'
- The article details additional Fine posts, including 'If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one' and a call for 'more Islamophobia, not less.'
- House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has publicly warned Speaker Mike Johnson to 'get your Members under control' and signaled he is open to backing a censure of Fine, though Democrats worry about giving Fine and Ogles the attention they 'crave.'
- Axios reports that only one Republican, Rep. Don Bacon, has publicly criticized the anti-Muslim rhetoric so far, and that with the GOP holding the majority, Democratic censure efforts face long odds.
- This Fox article specifies that Tuberville’s 'enemy is inside the gates' comment was made while sharing an End Wokeness X post juxtaposing a 9/11 Twin Towers photo with an image of Mayor Zohran Mamdani at a Ramadan Iftar at New York City Hall.
- It details Mamdani’s direct response on X, criticizing the outrage over him 'breaking bread with New Yorkers' and contrasting it with political inaction on child hunger.
- It provides exact language from Sen. Ed Markey calling Tuberville’s post 'Racist. Islamophobic. Disgusting. Republicans just want to Make America White Again.'
- It quotes Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s full rebuttal emphasizing Muslim Americans’ everyday roles and calling Tuberville’s rhetoric 'mindless hate.'
- It includes Tuberville’s extended follow-up post labeling 'Radical Islam' a 'CULT,' asserting under 'Sharia Law' non‑Muslims are 'the ENEMY,' and saying radical Islam is 'NOT compatible with the Constitution and has NO PLACE IN AMERICA.'
- It notes Tuberville also used the 'enemy is inside the gates' phrase in a Dec. 31 post reacting to a New York Times headline about Mamdani becoming the first NYC mayor sworn in on a Quran.
- Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) posted, “We need more Islamophobia, not less. Fear of Islam is rational,” and doubled down on an earlier dogs‑vs‑Muslims post that had already prompted censure calls.
- Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) posted, “Name one country that is freer and safer because Muslims moved there,” and separately called for repealing the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 (Hart‑Celler).
- Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) called for “mass remigration” and posted, “No more Muslims immigrating to America.”
- Rep. Riley Moore (R-W.Va.) announced plans to introduce a bill to denaturalize and deport any naturalized citizen who commits or plots terrorism or aids terrorist organizations.
- Democrats including Reps. Josh Gottheimer, Mark Pocan and Yassamin Ansari, as well as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, issued sharp public condemnations of the rhetoric; Ansari explicitly urged Speaker Mike Johnson to reprimand Fine or strip committee assignments and renewed talk of a House censure vote.
- Axios explicitly ties the timing of the Republicans’ posts to the same‑day attacks at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, and at Old Dominion University in Virginia, alleged to involve a Lebanese‑born naturalized U.S. citizen and a previously convicted ISIS supporter.