Overview
- Rep. Andy Ogles wrote on March 9 that “Muslims don’t belong in American society” and “Pluralism is a lie,” drawing immediate condemnation from Democrats.
- On March 10 he escalated his rhetoric, posting that Muslims are “unable to assimilate” and calling for their expulsion from the United States.
- House Speaker Mike Johnson said Ogles’ wording was not his own choice of language yet argued the concerns reflect popular sentiment about Sharia and Islam in America.
- Democratic leaders urged censure or expulsion, while some Republicans criticized the remarks or stayed quiet, with figures like Rep. Don Bacon and Richard Grenell citing constitutional protections for religious freedom.
- Ogles continued to promote a bill to block immigration from several countries including Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Venezuela and North Korea, as his posts coincided with an ISIS-inspired explosives case under investigation near New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s residence.