Anti-Muslim

Anti-Muslim hate groups鈥痓roadly defame Islam and traffic in conspiracy theories of Muslims being a subversive threat to the nation.鈥疶hese groups largely appeared after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks鈥痑nd mix鈥痳acism and anti-immigrant ideas.鈥疶heir rise breeds鈥痑 climate of fear, hate and intimidation directed toward Muslims or those perceived to be鈥疢uslim.

Top Takeaways

The number of anti-Muslim groups decreased to 34 from 39 between 2022 and 2023. The drop came mostly from local chapters鈥痮f such groups鈥痑s鈥疉CT for America鈥痑苍诲鈥疓416 Patriots Idaho鈥痵howing no activity for the year. The long-standing anti-Muslim鈥痓log鈥疪efugee Resettlement Watch, run by鈥疉nn Corcoran,鈥痺as also dormant in 2023.鈥�

Despite the decrease,鈥痶he organized anti-Muslim movement continues to be a political force. Significant developments in Islamophobic activity came in the last quarter of 2023 as global attention turned to war and conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Key Moments

In 2023, the anti-Muslim鈥痝roup鈥疷nderstanding the Threat ceased operations. Despite spending the first half of the year conducting civilian-focused Islamophobic training seminars and pushing out鈥痵uch鈥痗ontent鈥痑s鈥痗alling U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., a 鈥渢errorist,鈥� the group鈥檚 leader John鈥疓uandolo鈥痑nnounced Understanding the Threat would鈥痗lose. 鈥淲e鈥痟ave to shut our doors,鈥� he wrote in an email to supporters. 鈥淭he assaults from our adversaries financially and legally have been withering and overwhelming.鈥濃€疓uandolo鈥痳emains a consultant for training programs鈥痙esigned鈥痬ainly鈥痜or law enforcement.

Anti-Muslim groups continued to align themselves with xenophobic groups and push anti-immigrant rhetoric. In July, Florida-based group The United West helped organize a screening of a film on Capitol Hill produced by former鈥疷.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)鈥痙irector Tom Homan. The United West continues to partner with Homan and his project, Defend the Border and Save Lives.

ACT for America, the anti-Muslim group run by Brigitte Gabriel, adopted a nativist tone on top of its regular Islamophobia. The group circulated a petition calling to 鈥淪top the Taxpayer Funded Border Invasion.鈥� In it, the group peddled ideas mirroring鈥�鈥済reat replacement鈥�鈥痳hetoric, writing, 鈥淭he Southern Border Invasion and migrants entering through ports of authority and international airports in every state, are part of a concerted effort by the Left and globalists to transform America through replacement.鈥濃€�

The anti-Muslim movement has spent the last few years expanding its agenda and turning its attention to鈥痵uch鈥痗onservative hot-button issues鈥痑s critical鈥痳ace鈥痶heory,鈥痠nclusive education, election fraud conspiracy theories and demonizing trans people.鈥疶hroughout most of 2023,鈥痟ard Islamophobic rhetoric and activity appeared to be down to a slow trickle.鈥�

But the events of Oct. 7, 2023, which launched the鈥疘srael-Hamas鈥痺ar and all鈥痠ts associated鈥痓loodshed,鈥痓rought the anti-Muslim groups back to their core ideology,鈥痑nd they wasted no time politicizing the conflict to peddle an Islamophobic agenda. Amid the conflict,鈥痑ntisemitic鈥痑nd anti-Muslim鈥痳hetoric and violence鈥痠ncreased鈥€� with several tragic attacks on Palestinian and Muslim Americans.鈥疶hese included鈥痶he stabbing death鈥痮f a young boy near Chicago in October 2023鈥痑nd the鈥痵hooting of three young men in Burlington, Vermont, in November 2023. 鈥�
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ACT for America used the conflict to push its own agenda. The group circulated a鈥痯etition鈥痠n鈥疧ctober 2023 calling to bar Palestinian refugees from being resettled in the U.S. Gabriel also used the opportunity to鈥痯eddle鈥痗opies of her 2006 book Because They Hate, which is full of Islamophobic content.鈥�

FrontPage Magazine, a publication of the hate group鈥�David Horowitz Freedom Center,鈥痯ublished articles claiming, 鈥淲hat happened in Israel is not about Israel: it鈥檚 about Islam.鈥� Jihad Watch, a group affiliated with the Horowitz Freedom Center and run by prolific anti-Muslim figure Robert Spencer, ran an article saying:鈥€淲e鈥檙e in a war between savages and civilization. Everything else is a detail.鈥�

What鈥檚 Ahead

The impact of Islamophobia and the anti-Muslim movement is also reflected in international developments including unrest in Paris after the police killing of an Algerian boy during summer 2023 and the political comeback of Geert Wilders鈥� Freedom Party in the Netherlands. The international connections鈥痮f鈥疉merican anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant and anti-LGBTQ+ movements鈥痺ith鈥痜ar-right actors and authoritarian governments abroad remain a concern.

The Islamophobic climate stoked by the鈥痗onflict between鈥疘srael and Hamas demonstrated these groups remain anti-Muslim to the core. The anti-Muslim movement is likely to continue peddling its brand of hate.鈥�

Background

Anti-Muslim hate groups spread disinformation, prejudice and conspiracy theories about Muslims and鈥疘slam. Despite Islam having a long and storied history in the United鈥疭tates, these groups portray those who worship Islam as fundamentally alien and a foreign threat. Members of hate groups seek to attach Muslims to a set of inherent negative traits. This includes denigrating Muslims and their faith as being monolithic, irrational, intolerant and a violent threat to American society. This rhetoric is often reinforced by hard-right politicians who deploy Islamophobia to score political points among their鈥痓ase. Propaganda from anti-Muslim hate groups can create a climate in society where bullying, intimidation and even hate crimes directed at Muslims communities can occur.

These groups typically hold conspiratorial views and frame Islam as a foreign threat to the U.S.鈥疶his includes presenting Islam as not only a potential violent threat, but also a cultural one. Anti-Muslim groups accuse Muslims of being a鈥€痠ntent on undermining and eventually replacing American democracy and Western civilization with Islamic despotism鈥€撯€痑 conspiracy theory known as 鈥渃ivilization jihad.鈥�

Anti-Muslim groups engage in a variety of activities to spread hate, though groups can vary in approaches and tactics. Such activities may include publishing Islamophobic content, holding large-scale demonstrations and conferences鈥痑nd calling for a鈥痟alt鈥痶o Muslim immigration and refugee-resettlement programs. These groups may also challenge the construction or expansion of mosques, make derogatory statements about Muslim political candidates and elected officials and work to pass anti-Muslim legislation.

Many of the anti-Muslim groups form a constellation of interconnected, tight-knit organizations. These groups鈥痮ften鈥痵hare staff, board members and sources of funding. They also stay consistent and disciplined in their messaging and conspiracy theories about Islam.

These groups vary in scope and role. Some, like鈥疻ashington, D.C.-based鈥�Center for Security Policy, serve as think tanks churning out reports raising the specter of Sharia law. Sharia is a鈥痵et of鈥€痶hat anti-Muslim hate groups try to鈥痶wist into something insidious to sow fear of Islam.鈥�The David Horowitz Freedom Center,鈥痓ased鈥痠n鈥疭herman Oaks, California, serves as a think tank as well as an umbrella organization for other Islamophobic projects such as Robert Spencer鈥檚 hate blogsite鈥�Jihad Watch鈥痑nd FrontPage Magazine, a web publication featuring the writings of anti-Muslim and far-right authors.

ACT for America鈥痵eeks to have a presence in the Beltway, pushing Islamophobic and nativism legislation while also operating a network of semi-autonomous chapters throughout the country. Islamophobic figures such as鈥�David Yerushalmi鈥痮f the American Freedom Law Center have a hand in crafting anti-Muslim legislation and provide legal counsel to other anti-Muslim groups. Other state-鈥痑nd city-based hate groups take on local opposition campaigns like derailing refugee resettlement efforts and working to pass anti-Sharia legislation.

Islamophobia continues to be intertwined with U.S. politics and is often deployed by political candidates to gain votes.鈥疉nti-Muslim groups have cultivated allies in Congress and among other political networks.鈥疎lected officials such as U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and U.S. Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania,鈥痑mong others, remain staunch allies to these groups, appearing at events they organize.

Anti-Muslim groups and figures are sometimes given platforms at such large-scale political events as the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) as well as at smaller events hosted by local groups. Anti-Muslim propagandists Brigitte Gabriel and Frank Gaffney are reported members of the Council for National Policy, a secretive right-wing coalition aimed at influencing policy. Gaffney, Gabriel and other figures making up the anti-Muslim network also enjoy clout among right-wing and conservative news media.

Each year, the鈥疍avid Horowitz Freedom Center鈥痟olds its annual鈥疪estoration Weekend that brings together a mix of anti-Muslim figures, conservative commentators and elected officials. The 2022 event took place at the Arizona Biltmore Resort after The鈥疊reakers hotel in Palm Beach, Florida, where the conference was for many years prior, canceled its contract with Horowitz鈥檚 group in 2021. During the event, outgoing鈥疶exas congressman and longtime Horowitz ally Louie Gohmert was awarded the group鈥檚 Annie Taylor Award. Arizona Rep. U.S. Andy Biggs also spoke at the event and used his time to warn of an 鈥渋nvasion鈥� happening at the鈥痵outhern border.

Islamophobia and anti-Muslim bigotry are nothing new in the United States. But prior to Sept. 11, 2001, there was not an organized movement dedicated to spreading Islamophobia,鈥痑s there was for other hate movements. This changed after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, when a cottage industry of disinformation peddlers was built virtually from the ground up. Led by activists such as鈥�Pamela Geller,鈥�Robert Spencer鈥痑苍诲鈥�Brigitte Gabriel, whose goal was to poison any debate about the religion of Islam and depict Muslims as fundamentally at odds with America.

In the years after 9/11, these groups and figures were able to capture an audience racked with fear and uncertainty to spread their anti-Muslim鈥痓ias.鈥疶hese groups鈥痟ave鈥痜lourished鈥痑nd were鈥痯olitically鈥痠nfluential amid the backdrop of the U.S. 鈥淲ar on Terror,鈥濃€痶he鈥痓ias Countering Violent Extremism programs and other governmental efforts to criminalize and spy on Muslim communities.

Not until the Obama administration鈥痙id鈥痶he movement begin鈥痶o crystallize as a sophisticated network of groups and activists. Conspiracy theories swirled alleging former鈥疨resident Barack Obama was a practicing Muslim鈥痑nd in the pocket of the Muslim Brotherhood, a favorite bogeyman among anti-Muslim groups. In 2010, such anti-Muslim figures as Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer flexed their influence when they showed up in opposition to the proposed site of an Islamic community center in lower Manhattan, dubbing it the 鈥淕round Zero Mosque.鈥�

Former鈥疨resident Donald Trump tapped鈥痠nto the bigotry鈥痜rom鈥痶he anti-Muslim network and made鈥疘slamophobia a cornerstone of his administration. Anti-Muslim hate groups had unprecedented access to the White House under Trump. Figures associated with鈥痟ate groups received jobs in Trump鈥檚 administration in鈥痵uch鈥痯olicy areas鈥痑s鈥痠mmigration and national security. Some hate figures also served as unofficial advisers and bragged about having a line to the president through some of his cabinet and staff. Trump implemented policies long championed by anti-Muslim groups such as the Muslim ban and a low cap on refugees. President Joe Biden鈥檚 election left anti-Muslim groups without their top political ally鈥€撯€痓ut Islamophobia preceded Trump and continues to be prevalent since he left office.

a map of the United States with the number of Anti-Muslim groups in each state

2023鈥� Anti-Muslim Hate Groups

View all groups by鈥�state鈥痑nd by鈥�ideology.
* - Asterisk denotes headquarters.

ACT for America
Los Angeles, California
Long Island, New York
San Gabriel Valley, California
Santa Clarita, California
Connecticut
Washington, D.C.*
Metairie, Louisiana
Houston, Texas
Vancouver, Washington

AlertAmerica.News
Hauppauge, New York

American Freedom Defense Initiative
New York, New York

American Freedom Law Center
Ann Arbor, Michigan

Center for Security Policy
Washington, D.C.

Citizens for National Security
Lake Worth, Florida

Counter Jihad Coalition
Santa Monica, California

Cultures In Context Incorporated/Turning Point Project
Ave Maria, Florida

David Horowitz Freedom Center
Sherman Oaks, California

Florida Family Association
罢补尘辫补,鈥疐濒辞谤颈诲补

Fortress of Faith
Bellingham, Washington

Foundation for Advocating Christian Truth/Acts17Apologetics
Bronx, New York

Glazov鈥疓ang Productions
Los Angeles, California