Rights Group Slams US Senator Tuberville Over Anti-Muslim Remarks
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has condemned remarks made by Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville during an appearance on "The Benny Show," hosted by conservative commentator Benny Johnson.
In the interview, Tuberville was asked what message he would have for Democratic voters relocating from blue states to Alabama, should he run for governor. "Well don’t be expecting a free lunch… bring your lunch with you, because you’re not gonna be welcome if you bring that Communist, Islamic atmosphere with you. We’re not going to deal with it," Tuberville said.
CAIR, the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy group in the United States, denounced the statement and called on Tuberville to engage directly with Muslim communities in Alabama, according to a Friday report by Alabama Political Reporter.
“Senator Tuberville was elected to represent all Alabamans, including Alabaman Muslims. We invite Senator Tuberville to visit an Alabama mosque and engage with his Alabama Muslim constituents,” said CAIR-Alabama Staff Attorney Britton O’Shields in an official response.
“Although Senator Tuberville expressed fear about a so-called ‘Islamic atmosphere’ coming to Alabama, the truth is that American Muslims have been thriving in Alabama for decades, creating an atmosphere of fellowship, charity, and devotion to God.”
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CAIR’s response comes amid a documented rise in anti-Muslim incidents in the U.S. In its 2025 Civil Rights Report, the group noted 8,658 reports of anti-Muslim and anti-Arab bias in 2024, marking the highest number since it began collecting such data nearly three decades ago.
The organization also linked recent incidents to broader political rhetoric and public discourse surrounding global conflicts. It cited Tuberville’s previous calls for student activists protesting against Israeli genocidal war on Gaza to be jailed, describing such statements as an example of viewpoint discrimination.
O’Shields further referenced a 2023 incident in Mobile, Alabama, where a local mosque received an emailed threat promising mass violence. Though law enforcement later said no immediate threat was found, CAIR urged authorities to treat the case as a potential hate crime.
In closing, CAIR warned that public figures’ words can have serious consequences and urged leaders to speak responsibly about religious communities.
Source: Agencies
