What's Happening?
House Judiciary Doubles Down on Anti-Muslim Theater
On May 13th, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government held “Sharia-Free America: Why Political Islam and Sharia Law are Incompatible with the U.S. Constitution: Part II,” the sequel to a February hearing that no one with any credibility asked for.
Let’s be plain: this hearing series exists to mainstream anti-Muslim bigotry under a constitutional veneer. Majority witnesses again included representatives from Rise, Align, Ignite, Reclaim (RAIR) Foundation and Texas Public Policy Foundation, organizations that traffic in alarmist narratives about Islam rather than rigorous legal scholarship. Meanwhile, Democrats introduced into the record research on religious extremism and violence against minority communities, along with statements from civil rights and faith-based organizations and members of Congress raising concerns about the proceeding’s discriminatory framing.
Fear on Repeat
Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-7) captured the absurdity of the hearing in her questioning: “This is a redo, by the way. We’ve done this before. We’re doing it again at a time when we have so many pressing issues that we should be addressing in the Constitution Subcommittee.” She went on to highlight the real-world consequences of this rhetoric, noting that in her home state of Washington, Muslim Americans are reporting hate crimes, threats of violence, workplace discrimination, and unsafe interactions with law enforcement. As she warned, “this hearing is unfortunately just part of a much larger anti-Muslim, anti-Islam strategy that Republicans have been trying to drive.”
Meeting the Moment Everywhere
This is exactly why Emgage Action is continuing to organize against the dangerous ideology behind the Sharia Free America Caucus and members advancing it in Congress and in statehouses across the country. We are working with partners to expose this for what it is, an effort to legitimize anti-Muslim discrimination, fuel hate, and create a pipeline for harmful state-level policies targeting Muslim communities under the guise of security or religious freedom.
We cannot allow this rhetoric to become law. Now is the time to act. Support Emgage Action’s work to stop anti-Muslim legislation, hold lawmakers accountable for spreading hate, and build the local and national organizing power needed to protect diverse communities wherever these attacks arise. If these attacks are coordinated, our response must be too.
Policy Perspectives
The $70 Billion Immigration Enforcement Bet
While the hearing made headlines, a quieter fight is unfolding over federal funding. In late April, House Republicans narrowly passed a budget blueprint that could unlock roughly $70 billion in new funding for ICE and Customs and Border Protection through reconciliation, allowing them to bypass a Democratic filibuster. Senate Republicans are expected to move the package in the coming weeks.
This comes on top of the $75 billion already approved for immigration enforcement last year, including more than $25 billion for ICE this fiscal year alone.
Democrats pushed for basic oversight measures, including requiring judicial warrants for home entries and clearer identification from officers. Republican leaders bypassed those conditions by using budget reconciliation, a process that allows certain spending bills to pass the Senate with a simple majority instead of the usual 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster — and, under pressure from hard-right members, delayed broader DHS funding negotiations to prioritize enforcement spending first.
Congressional leadership is making its priorities clear: more money for enforcement, fewer guardrails for abuse. We believe our communities deserve safety, dignity, and accountability, not a blank check for policies that erode our rights and target the most vulnerable.
On Our Radar
The impact of Sudan Advocacy Week continues
The momentum from Sudan Advocacy Week remains strong as House Resolution 1179, supported by Emgage Action and our coalition partners, has successfully cleared the House Foreign Affairs Committee. This follows the addition of 23 new cosponsors, many of whom we asked to commit to cosponsoring H.Res. 1179. The bill is now scheduled for a floor vote; expect further updates in the coming days. Additionally, the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission has formally urged the NBA, NFL, The Walt Disney Company, and Warner Bros. Discovery to reexamine their ties to the UAE, citing the UAE's financial support for the RSF.
This is what Congress covered this week
The top two congressional developments Muslim advocates should watch next are, first, whether Republicans continue using the House Judiciary Committee and the “Sharia-Free America” framework to legitimize anti-Muslim policymaking and build support for similar efforts in the states. Second, advocates should watch the next phase of the fight over ICE and DHS funding, especially whether Congress approves tens of billions in additional enforcement funding without meaningful guardrails, oversight, or protections for civil rights and due process.
War Powers act falls flat... again
The Senate narrowly rejected the seventh effort to end U.S. involvement in the war on Iran this week, with Democrats falling just one vote short in a 49-50 vote on Sen. Jeff Merkley’s war powers resolution. While most Republicans sided with President Trump, GOP opposition appears to be growing, with Sens. Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, and Susan Collins joining Democrats in support of the measure. U.S. military activity has continued in the region and Congress has still not formally authorized the conflict more than 60 days after it began, raising renewed concerns over executive war powers and congressional oversight.
Violating Our Fourth Amendment… again
The House just passed the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, one of the biggest attempts by the administration to expand ICE’s power. And despite repeated assurances from Democrats that they would fight back against ICE expansion, 144 Democrats voted for CORCA. Introduced to combat organized retail, interstate, and transnational crime, CORCA promotes data-sharing between retailers and law enforcement without any oversight or limitations. They can collect information including citizenship status, violating our civil liberties all in the name of “security.” The administration is doing its best to expand the surveillance state and CORCA is yet another route Congress has established making it easier to spy on Americans.
Protect Our Rights, Support Our Work
Hate, voter suppression, and unconstitutional actions are on the rise, but together, we can fight back. Your donation helps Emgage Action hold leaders accountable, protect our communities, and defend our right to vote. Every dollar counts. Give today to make sure our voices are heard.