Muslim religious freedom in Texas has become a flashpoint, and faith leaders want it protected. An interfaith coalition issued an open letter urging elected officials to defend Muslim neighbors and safeguard religious liberty. George A. Mason and Nancy Kasten of Faith Commons helped craft the appeal, and CLEAR DFW joined the effort. They say the state’s escalating scrutiny fuels fear, so they called for restraint and equal treatment.
Paxton’s Demand Targets an Islamic Mediation Group
The plea followed an April 6 demand from Attorney General Ken Paxton aimed at a Dallas-based Islamic mediation group. Paxton asked for documentation to prove that it is not unlawfully acting as a court and imposing Sharia Law. In a Monday press release, he alleged the Islamic Tribunal runs a court system outside state and federal law. He warned his office would shut it down if it misled Texans about authority, and he framed the dispute as a fight over American law.
Abbott’s Investigations Broaden State Pressure
Gov. Greg Abbott added momentum by instructing officials in Dallas and Collin counties to investigate the Islamic Tribunal and other mediation groups. Republican leaders have elevated warnings about Muslim judicial practices as a major talking point this year. Critics of the crackdown note that Sharia Law is not applicable in any U.S. court, but the rhetoric persists. The letter’s signers argue this approach treats ordinary religious life as suspicious.
Why the Letter Says This Is Discrimination, Not Security
The April 7 letter, addressed to elected leaders in Texas and the United States, condemns harmful rhetoric and what it calls blatant discrimination. The clergy leaders argue the government should stop genuine security threats, but should not police belief or speech. They say officials have cast Muslim organizations and individuals as anti-American, and that shift harms community trust. Many faiths mediate internal disputes, including Methodists and Mormons, so the coalition says Muslims should not be singled out.
Supporters and Detractors Clash Over Texas Actions
Supporters of the letter warn that the pattern threatens the foundations of civic life because it marginalizes Muslims as neighbors, classmates, and co-workers. They point to the First Amendment and say religious liberty erodes when any faith is targeted. Detractors, including Paxton and Abbott, argue investigations protect the rule of law and prevent any parallel authority from taking hold.
Texas interfaith coalition speaks up for Muslims’ religious freedom
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