A House lawmaker is facing bipartisan outrage after a now-deleted social media post misidentified a guest prayer leader and questioned his presence at the U.S. Capitol.
The incident has sparked a debate about religious liberty and the constitutional role of faith in public life.
Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL), a Republican known for controversial remarks, took to X on Friday to criticize Giani Surinder Singh, a Sikh religious leader from New Jersey, who delivered the House’s morning prayer.
In her original post, Miller mistakenly identified Singh as Muslim and wrote that he “should have never been allowed” to lead the invocation.
The post, which was later edited to reflect Singh’s actual religion before being removed entirely, was widely condemned by members of both parties, civil rights groups and religious organizations.
Critics described the comments as religiously intolerant, racially ignorant and inconsistent with the First Amendment.
The backlash was swift.
Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY), a fellow Republican, wrote, “A Sikh prayer on the House floor doesn’t violate the Constitution, offend my Catholic faith, or throttle my support for Israel. Live and let live.”
He emphasized that while America’s founding was shaped by Judeo-Christian principles, the Constitution mandates neutrality toward religion.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) was among the first to denounce Miller’s remarks, calling them “ignorant and hateful.”
Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) called the comments “anti-Sikh, anti-Muslim xenophobia,” noting, “The tweet may have been deleted, but we still have the receipts.”
Singh had been invited by Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), who praised the Sikh leader for embodying American values.
“As a Catholic, I take my faith seriously and I also believe part of being American is respecting other people’s faiths too,” Van Drew said.
The incident also triggered responses from the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), which issued a statement condemning what it called “anti-Sikh and anti-Muslim bigotry.”
The Sikh Coalition demanded a formal apology and the Muslim Public Affairs Council urged Miller to recognize the constitutional protections of religious liberty.
The Hindu American Foundation joined the chorus, describing the post as “racist, xenophobic, and plainly un-American.”
This isn’t the first time Miller has drawn national attention, according to the Daily Mail.
In 2021, she was forced to apologize for a comment praising Adolf Hitler’s views on youth indoctrination.
A year later, during a rally with President Trump, she referred to the fall of Roe v. Wade as a “victory for white life,” which her office later attributed to a teleprompter error.
The U.S. Constitution offers clear guidance on such matters.
The First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion and bars the government from establishing any religion.
Additionally, Article VI states that “no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.”
Opening prayers in Congress date back to 1789 and have been led by representatives of multiple faiths, including Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs, according to the Daily Mail.
In his role, Singh was praised by Van Drew for exemplifying “peace, humility, and service toward all.”
The post GOP Rep. Draws Bipartisan Condemnation After Misidentifying Sikh Leader in Deleted Prayer Post appeared first on Resist the Mainstream.
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Author: Gloriel Howard
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