PRESS STATEMENT: CAIR Condemns IL Rep’s Anti-Muslim Smear Targeting NJ Sikh Speaker Offering Congressional Prayer

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned the Islamophobic targeting of a New jersey representative of the Sikh faith by Republican Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) who said it was “deeply troubling that a Muslim was allowed to lead prayer in the House of Representatives.”

[NOTE: CAIR noted that bigots often mistake Sikhs for Muslims because Sikh men wear turbans.]

Rep. Miller posted – then deleted – that Islamophobic message on X saying that Giani Singh “should never have been allowed” to offer the House’s morning invocation and claimed, “America was founded as a Christian nation.”

SEE: Republican said Sikh should not be allowed to deliver House prayer

Outrage after Republican representative disparages Sikh prayer in the US House

In a statement, CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said:

“It is deeply troubling that a member of Congress would be so ignorant of the diverse faiths in our nation and would express that ignorance by targeting a respected representative of the Sikh community with Islamophobic smears. This disturbing incident once again shows that bigotry is rooted in lack of understanding of others.

“Such reckless rhetoric not only endangers Muslim and Sikh communities, it also undermines the core values of what it means to be American. We call on Rep. Miller to apologize for these anti-Muslim remarks and commit to educating herself on the religious diversity that strengthens our nation.” 

Earlier today, CAIR called on Congress to censure Florida Congressman Randy Fine after he made yet another racist attack on Palestinians, saying they have “mental defects.”

When a Florida journalist asked him about his recent call to use nuclear weapons to destroy Gaza, Fine reportedly said:

“It shows the sophistication of the Muslim-terror media that they are able to convince people like you to interpret (it that way). … Now I recognize that half of people in Gaza are married to their cousins, so you’re going to find a lot of people with mental defects. But you’ve got to have a mental defect to interpret the comment that way.”

SEE: Does Randy Fine support nuking Gaza? We asked him.

CAIR will continue working with allied organizations, civil rights leaders, and elected officials to hold Rep. Fine accountable and ensure that no member of Congress is allowed to promote violence without facing consequences.  

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.       

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.            

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CONTACT: CAIR-NJ Communications Manager Aya Elamroussi, 551-208-5482, aelamroussi@cair.com; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-999-8292, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com