Sen. Ted Cruz on Sunday stood by his controversial proposal to use increased police patrols to “secure” Muslim neighborhoods in the United States.
“What this looks like is proactive law enforcement,” Cruz said during a “Fox News Sunday” appearance. “What this looks like is addressing the problem and engaging with [the] problem.”
The Texas senator said that problem is “Islamism,” which he defined a violent form of Islam that seeks to impose Sharia law on society and forcibly convert nonbelievers. He implied this belief exists within the United States, but did not explain.
Cruz’s plan, which critics say would violate the constitutional rights of the American citizens he wants to target, has been denounced by President Obama, Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton and members of both parties.
Cruz argued New York City had successfully implemented such a program. Cruz said New York’s program engaged “cooperatively with the Muslim community.” In fact, the effort drew anger and mutiple federal lawsuits charging the New York Police Department illegally spied and eavesdropped on mosques and Muslim-owned businesses.
Citing the recent terrorist attack in Belgium and others in Europe, Cruz suggested the United States faces a similar problem to European states with radicalized neighborhoods.
“We can’t become Europe,” Cruz said.
Terrorism in the United States has come almost exclusively from people who live outside the country or lived in integrated neighborhoods rather than ethic enclaves.
Cruz answered the question after a lengthy preamble in which he argued that “political correctness” has prevented the Obama administration from aggressively taking on terrorism.
He attacked Obama for his willingness to admit Syrian refugees to the country despite fears the Islamic State would attempt to infiltrate those allowed into the United States.
