Two Republican lawmakers are calling for the mass expulsion of Muslims from the United States following a fatal shooting at a Hanukkah celebration in Australia. Rep. Randy Fine (R-Florida) and Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) argued for travel bans and citizenship revocations. Fine stated, “Mainstream Muslims have declared war on us. The least we can do is kick them the hell out.”
The lawmakers characterized Islam as a “cult” rather than a religion, claiming it is incompatible with Western values. Sen. Tuberville warned on social media, “We’ve got to SEND THEM HOME NOW or we’ll become the United Caliphate of America.” These remarks come despite Muslim groups and a Muslim bystander in Australia being credited with condemning and neutralizing the violence.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) warned that such rhetoric could incite hate crimes, citing a sharp increase in anti-Muslim sentiment. While Democrats condemned the “disgusting display of Islamophobia,” Republican leadership has largely remained silent. CAIR’s Edward Ahmed Mitchell noted a double standard, stating, “If anyone had called for the destruction of all mainstream Jews… they would rightfully be expelled.”