Republican Congressman Says Muslims Don’t Belong in American Society

WASHINGTON – Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) said Monday that Muslims should not be in the United States.

“Muslims do not belong in American society,” Ogles wrote. on social networks. “Pluralism is a lie.”

The Republican member of Congress, a far-right conservative with a history of being shamelessly Islamophobicappeared to be reacting to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s condemnation of an anti-Islam rally organized outside his home on Saturday by pardoned January 6 insurrectionist Jake Lang.

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Violence burst at the protest, and on Monday, two men were detained as law enforcement officials investigated whether explosives were brought to the event. The men are also being investigated for potentially inspired by an extremist group of the Islamic State.

Mamdani, who is Muslim, condemned “White supremacist Jake Lang” for organizing a rally based on “bigotry and racism.” He also described it as “reprehensible” that people brought an explosive device, which did not detonate at the event.

Ogles’ post on Monday came minutes after he attacked Mamdani for condemning the Islamophobia displayed at the demonstration outside his home.

“The @DOJ can deport you today. All they need to do is read your record,” the Tennessee Republican said. Mamdani saying.

The mayor, who was born in Uganda, has been a US citizen since 2018.

Ogles’ office did not respond to a request for comment.

Neither did Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), nor any of his top lieutenants: Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), Majority Leader Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), and Republican Policy Committee Chairman Kevin Hern (R-Okla.).

The offices of Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) also did not respond to requests for comment.

Ogles is not the only Republican in Congress who is comfortable being openly Islamophobic.

Last month, Rep. Randy Fine (Florida) declared on social networks: “If we are forced to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not difficult.”

Rep. Lauren Boebert (Colorado) has made numerous bigoted and unfounded comments about Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) over the years, comparing her to a terrorist carrying bombs and calling her a member of the “jihadist squad.” Marjorie Taylor Greene, who recently resigned from Congress, previously suggested Muslims does not belong to the government. In 2025, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (Ala.) called for ban all immigrants who are Muslims.

Edward Ahmed Mitchell, deputy national director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, said the First Amendment guarantees religious freedom to everyone, including American Muslims.

“If any member of Congress had declared that ‘Jews do not belong in America,’ that politician would rightly face condemnation, censure and possibly even expulsion,” Mitchell said in a statement.

“Yet, anti-Muslim extremists in Congress like Randy Fine and Andy Ogles have faced no consequences for their dangerous rhetoric, even as Muslim American members of Congress have faced no-confidence motions, threats and harassment for daring to criticize Israel’s genocide in Gaza,” he said. “The double standards and hypocrisy must end.”

Igor Bobic contributed reporting.