🚨 BREAKING: U.S. Democrats and an Islamic civil rights group are calling for the resignation of a Republican congressman after he said he would choose dogs over Muslims.

🚨 BREAKING: U.S. Democrats and an Islamic civil rights group are calling for the resignation of a Republican congressman after he said he would choose dogs over Muslims.

A group of U.S. Democrats and a prominent Muslim civil rights organization are calling for the resignation of a Republican congressman after he said during a public exchange that he would “choose dogs over Muslims,” sparking swift bipartisan criticism and renewed debate over inflammatory political rhetoric.

The remarks, which surfaced in a recorded interaction shared widely on social media, drew immediate condemnation from Democratic lawmakers who described the statement as “dehumanizing” and “unfit for public office.” Several members of Congress urged Republican leadership to formally rebuke the congressman and consider disciplinary action.

The nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, also called for the lawmaker’s resignation. In a statement, the group said the comment “crosses a clear moral line” and contributes to a climate of hostility toward Muslim Americans. The organization urged House leadership to “take meaningful action to affirm that religious bigotry has no place in Congress.”

Democratic leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives said the incident underscores the need for stronger standards of conduct for elected officials. “Members of Congress swear an oath to represent all Americans,” one senior Democrat said. “Language that demeans an entire faith community is incompatible with that responsibility.”

The Republican congressman has not announced plans to step down. In a brief response to reporters, he defended his record and accused critics of mischaracterizing his comments, though he did not directly retract the statement.

The controversy comes amid heightened political tensions ahead of key legislative battles, with advocacy groups warning that rhetoric targeting religious minorities can have real-world consequences. Muslim American leaders have called for bipartisan condemnation, emphasizing that millions of Muslim citizens serve in public office, the military, healthcare, and other sectors across the country.

It remains unclear whether House Republican leadership will pursue formal disciplinary measures. However, the episode has intensified scrutiny over political speech and the boundaries of acceptable discourse in national politics.