As a lifelong advocate of the First Amendment, having spent years fighting to protect free speech, religious liberty, and the foundational rights that define our republic, I can unequivocally say the Preserving a Sharia-Free America Act is not a threat to those freedoms. It’s far from it. This legislation would be a vital safeguard for human rights and the supremacy of our laws. Introduced in October 2025, the bill would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit the entry of immigrants who adhere to Sharia law, ensuring that our nation remains a beacon of equality, justice, and individual dignity under one unified legal system.
Critics, including groups such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations, have decried the bill as unconstitutional and anti-Muslim. But let’s be clear: this is not about targeting a faith or stifling religious expression. It’s about rejecting a legal framework that is fundamentally incompatible with American values. Sharia law, as practiced in various forms, often imposes harsh penalties, discriminates against women, and enforces punishments such as stoning or amputation that violate basic human rights. No other religious group in the United States is permitted to establish extra-judicial processes that override our civil courts. Jewish communities may use rabbinical courts for voluntary arbitration in civil matters, but these are subordinate to U.S. law and cannot enforce criminal sanctions. Similarly, Catholic canon law governs internal church affairs but bows to the Constitution. Why should Sharia be afforded special status to operate parallel to, or worse, in conflict with, our judicial system?
