Republican US lawmaker doubles down after criticism of his anti-Muslim comments

By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON, March 10 (Reuters) - Republican U.S. Representative Andy Ogles doubled down on Tuesday after saying "Muslims don't belong in American society," which had sparked widespread condemnation and prompted a Muslim advocacy group to designate him as an "anti-Muslim extremist."

Here are some details:

• Top Democrats like California Governor Gavin Newsom and House of Representatives Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called those comments "disgusting" and Islamophobic.

• Muslim advocacy group Council on American-Islamic Relations, which documents anti-Muslim and anti-Arab bias in the U.S., said it designated Ogles as "an anti-Muslim extremist" after his social media comments.

• "Muslims don't belong in American society. Pluralism is a lie," Ogles said on X on Monday.

• He called for expulsion of Muslims from the U.S. on Tuesday. "Muslims are unable to assimilate; they all have to go back," he posted.

• Over the ⁠years, rights advocates have attributed Islamophobia to the September 11, 2001 attacks; and more recently to anti-immigration sentiment, white supremacy and the fallout of Israel's war in Gaza.

• Muslim advocacy groups have also previously condemned Republican lawmakers like U.S. Representative Randy Fine for their anti-Muslim comments.

• They have also criticized the crackdown by Republican President Donald Trump's administration on immigration and pro-Palestinian protests.

• Republican House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, in comments to reporters on Tuesday, declined to condemn Ogles' remarks.