Trump crackdown on protests and immigration sparks rise in Islamophobia fears

Islamophobia Fears – (Web Desk) – A Muslim civil rights group says anti Muslim hate in the United States reached a record level in 2025. The group believes part of the rise is linked to President Donald Trump and his actions against pro Palestinian protests and immigration.

The Council on American Islamic Relations, also known as CAIR, said it received 8,683 complaints of anti Muslim and anti Arab incidents in 2025. This is the highest number since the group began tracking such cases in 1996. In 2024, the number was slightly lower at 8,658.

Many people complained about unfair treatment at work. About 12.7 percent of the cases were linked to job discrimination. Another 6.5 percent were about immigration and asylum issues. Hate incidents made up 6.4 percent of the reports. Some people also faced travel problems such as being placed on watchlists or facing extra checks at airports.

Rights advocates say Islamophobia in the US has grown over time. Some trace it back to the attacks of September 11 attacks in 2001. In recent years, they say strong anti immigration views, white supremacist ideas, and anger around the war in Gaza have added to the problem.

Trump has denied that his policies are discriminatory. He says his government is trying to stop illegal immigration and keep the country safe. But rights groups argue that the immigration crackdown can harm people and may not follow fair legal process.

The report also pointed to comments Trump made about Somali Americans in Minnesota. Many in that community are Muslim. Trump accused them of fraud and used harsh words.

Record high Islamophobia in the US in 2025 was driven in part by President Trump’s crackdown against pro-Palestinian protests and immigration, a Muslim advocacy group said https://t.co/8aeyH9Han4

— Reuters (@Reuters) March 10, 2026

CAIR said the government took a few isolated cases and used them to target a whole community. The group also questioned Trump’s stance on fraud. It said he has pardoned people who had earlier fraud convictions.

CAIR’s chapter in Minnesota reported 693 complaints in 2025. This was a sharp rise from 353 complaints in 2024.

The report also noted cases where Afghan immigrants were blamed after two National Guard soldiers were shot in Washington in November. An Afghan man was later indicted in the case.

Trump has often said that pro Palestinian protesters show antisemitic views or support extremists. His administration has tried to deport some foreign protesters. It also warned universities that they could lose funding if protests continued. Officials also ordered stricter checks of immigrants’ online comments.

Protesters disagree with this view. Some Jewish groups also joined the criticism. They say the government wrongly links criticism of Israel and its war in Gaza with antisemitism. They also say supporting Palestinian rights is not the same as supporting extremism.

CAIR said the Trump administration treated anyone with pro Palestinian views as a possible threat.

The report mentioned a few high profile deportation cases. One involved Mahmoud Khalil, who was held for months while his wife was pregnant. Another case was Leqaa Kordia, who lost more than 170 relatives in Gaza and suffered a seizure while in detention.

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CAIR also raised concerns about free speech, due process, and academic freedom. Several of the administration’s actions have faced challenges in court.

At the same time, Republican governors in Florida and Texas signed orders calling CAIR a terrorist group. CAIR challenged these orders in court. A judge has already blocked the order issued in Florida.