Overview
- On March 9, Rep. Andy Ogles posted on X that “Muslims don’t belong in American society” and added, “Pluralism is a lie.”
- After backlash, he escalated on March 10 by writing that “Muslims are unable to assimilate; they all have to go back,” explicitly calling for expulsion.
- CAIR announced it has designated Ogles an “anti-Muslim extremist,” citing his statements and pattern of rhetoric.
- House Speaker Mike Johnson said Ogles’ wording was not what he would use and declined to condemn him, while some Republicans, including Rep. Don Bacon and Richard Grenell, criticized the remarks.
- Democrats urged censure or expulsion, but no formal discipline has been imposed; the comments followed a New York protest where two suspects were arrested and IEDs were recovered, and Ogles has also promoted a bill to block immigration from several Muslim-majority countries.