US Congressman Pushes Bill Requiring Religious Immigrants to Reject Sharia Law

US Congressman Pushes Bill Requiring Religious Immigrants to Reject Sharia Law

A United States congressman, Barry Moore, has sparked nationwide debate after proposing a bill that would require immigrants entering America as religious workers to formally reject Sharia law and pledge loyalty to the US Constitution.

Moore announced the proposed legislation, known as the CRUSADE Act — short for Countering Radicalism Under Sharia and Defeating Extremism Act — in a statement posted on X and published on his official congressional website.

According to the Republican lawmaker, the bill is designed to prevent the promotion of religious doctrines that he believes conflict with American constitutional values.

“America is built on the rule of law and the supremacy of the Constitution — not foreign legal systems that conflict with our freedoms and values,” Moore said while unveiling the legislation.

The proposal specifically targets immigrants applying through the EB-4 religious worker visa programme, which allows ministers, missionaries and other faith-based workers to enter the United States.

Under the proposed law, applicants would be required to affirm support for the US Constitution and disavow interpretations of Sharia law that Moore claims promote religious persecution, restrictions on women and suppression of dissent.

“Anyone seeking entry into the United States as a religious worker must affirm their commitment to the Constitution and reject extremist practices found in sharia law that have been used to justify persecution, violence, and the suppression of basic human rights,” he added.

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The bill has already received backing from several Republican lawmakers, including Andy Ogles, Josh Brecheen and Clay Higgins.

The development comes amid growing political campaigns around the “Sharia-Free America” movement in the United States. Supporters argue that political Islam and Sharia-based governance are incompatible with the American legal system, while critics warn that such measures could stigmatise Muslims and undermine constitutional protections for religious freedom.

The First Amendment of the US Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, making the proposal likely to face legal and political scrutiny if it advances in Congress.

The controversy has also renewed international attention on Nigeria’s religious freedom concerns.

Earlier this year, Republican lawmakers Riley Moore and Chris Smith introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, a bill seeking stronger US action against alleged religious persecution in Nigeria.

The legislation calls for investigations into violence against Christians, enforcement of anti-blasphemy laws and the implementation of Sharia-based legal systems in northern Nigeria.

The lawmakers argued that some blasphemy laws in northern Nigeria have been used to silence dissent, target minorities and deny due process.

Nigeria currently operates Sharia legal systems in 12 northern states alongside conventional constitutional law, mainly for civil matters involving Muslims, although some states also apply criminal Sharia provisions.

The renewed debate follows the decision by President Donald Trump’s administration to redesignate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over allegations of religious persecution and sectarian violence.

Security concerns linked to extremist groups such as Boko Haram and armed bandit networks have continued to fuel international scrutiny of religious tensions in parts of the country.

US Congressman Pushes Bill Requiring Religious Immigrants to Reject Sharia Law