Daijiworld Media Network - Dallas
Dallas, Feb 8: Republican Congressman Brandon Gill has sparked controversy after claiming that parts of Texas are undergoing “Islamisation,” remarking that visiting certain malls in the Dallas area “feels like you’re in Pakistan, not Dallas.”
In a video message shared on social media, Gill alleged that demographic changes in parts of Dallas had altered the cultural character of neighbourhoods. He said he frequently hears from constituents concerned about mosques being built near land owned by families for generations and about what he described as large community developments transforming local areas.
Gill claimed that such changes were fundamentally altering communities and culture in Texas, comments that drew sharp criticism from members of the Muslim community, who described the remarks as alienating and unrepresentative of the state’s inclusive ethos. They said the statements promoted harmful stereotypes and unfairly singled out Muslim Americans.
Responding to the controversy, Hasham Sarwar, a Pakistan-origin doctor at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Centre, shared a photograph on social media showing Gill posing with members of the Pakistani community while collecting campaign funds, highlighting what critics called hypocrisy.
Gill’s remarks come amid a broader national debate within the Republican Party over immigration, border security and cultural integration. Texas, which shares a long border with Mexico, has been central to immigration discussions, though migration flows are largely from Latin America rather than South Asian or Muslim-majority countries.
The lawmaker, who represents Texas’ 26th Congressional District, has previously drawn criticism for controversial statements on immigration and culture. In recent months, he claimed Islam entered the US through what he termed a “suicidal immigration system,” warned against “importing foreign class allegiances” while reacting to a Gujarati community event, and made remarks critics described as racially and culturally insensitive.
Gill was elected to Congress in 2024 and serves on the House Judiciary, Budget and Oversight Committees.