Carol Platt Liebau: Religious Liberty and the American Expectation

Recent reports show that 48 new mosques have opened in Texas since 2023. Today, that brings the total to roughly 330—part of a 35-percent increase between 2010 and 2020.

The First Amendment protects every American’s right to worship freely. And no one should be denied that right.

But it’s also true that Islam isn’t just a religious tradition. In many parts of the world, it also functions as a political ideology—one that often conflicts with core American principles like freedom of speech, equal rights for women, and yes, freedom of religion itself.

America has always welcomed newcomers of every faith and background. But we’ve also been clear about one expectation: Those who come here must embrace our constitutional values and the civic culture that flows from them. That obligation applies to everyone—without exception.

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