Texas Republicans Push Bill to Deport Illegal Immigrants Who Follow Sharia Law

AUSTIN — Texas lawmakers are once again taking aim at Sharia law, this time by seeking to block and deport illegal immigrants who adhere to it.

Although Sharia law is already banned in Texas courts, a group of House Republicans, led by Rep. Chip Roy, is introducing new federal legislation that would prevent individuals who actively follow or promote Sharia law from remaining in the United States. The measure, they say, is designed to preserve constitutional integrity and prevent the rise of parallel legal systems.

“If you have someone who believes that, then de facto they would see the laws of the United States as illegitimate and would seek to live under Sharia law with its own unique tenets,” said Chuck DeVore, vice president at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, in an interview with KTRH.

DeVore argued that adherence to Sharia law is incompatible with U.S. constitutional principles, noting that American citizenship requires an oath of allegiance to the nation’s legal order.

“When you become a citizen, you swear an oath of allegiance to the United States and to our constitutional order,” he said. “If you believe something that’s in opposition to that order, you can have that belief—but you can’t live here. You can’t be a citizen. We get to choose.”

Supporters of the bill point to recent examples, including a Houston-area Muslim leader reportedly pressuring local store owners to stop selling pork products. DeVore said such behavior demonstrates the tension between private religious convictions and public law.

“That is incompatible with America’s constitutional order and both our civil and criminal code,” DeVore said, comparing it to earlier challenges such as Mormon polygamy and anarchist movements that rejected U.S. authority.

Lawmakers backing the bill argue that European countries have struggled with similar issues, where enclaves of religious law have at times conflicted with national laws. They say the United States must draw clear lines to avoid those same outcomes.

Critics, however, are likely to question how the proposal defines “adherence” to Sharia law and whether such a policy could raise constitutional concerns regarding freedom of religion and belief. As of now, the proposed legislation has not been formally introduced but is expected to be filed in the coming weeks.

TL;DR

Texas Congressman Chip Roy and fellow Republicans are pushing a bill to block and deport illegal immigrants who adhere to Sharia law. Supporters say it protects constitutional order; critics warn it could conflict with religious freedom protections.