Texas Gov. Greg Abbott continued his campaign against “Sharia law” on Wednesday morning.
By Adam Schwager for Border Report
The governor sent a letter to North Texas law enforcement officials to alert them of “possible criminal violations by Sharia tribunals masquerading as legal courts and to call for investigations into these entities purporting to enforce Sharia law.” The move came the morning after Abbott issued a proclamation declaring the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as “foreign terrorist and transnational organizations.”
“The U.S. Constitution’s religious protections provide no authority for religious courts to skirt state and federal laws simply by donning robes and pronouncing positions inconsistent with western civilization,” Abbott said in his Wednesday morning directive.
Abbott primarily targeted the Islamic Tribunal, which bills itself as “a mediation and non-binding arbitration firm that adheres to Islamic principles in the Muslim community.” Primarily, they handle divorces from the religious side, handing the civil side off to Texas courts.
In a direct statement responding to Abbott’s decision, a representative for Dr. Taher Elbadawi, founder of the Islamic Tribunal, said that the governor’s comments are “factually and legally incorrect,” and called his actions those of a “desperate politician attempting to stoke fear and discrimination against Muslims.”
His statement goes on to say:
“The Islamic Tribunal only handles mediation and arbitration in family law issues, which are then referred to Texas courts for final enforcement and ruling. It is important to remind the Governor that religious courts have been a part of this republic since its founding. Catholic and Jewish rabbinical courts, addressing matters of faith and religion, have operated legally for over 250 years in Texas and elsewhere. Their existence and operation are fully protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.”
Read the original article in its entirety on the Border Report.
READ NEXT: Huge Ruling Rocks Trump Trials
DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!!!!
When in the hell is the true law going to crack down on this bs.
sharia law is banned in america and the constitution. sharia law is not your friend.
Sharia law is incompatible with our laws and values in the America. If they don’t want to assimilate and abide by our laws and customs they are welcome to leave.
Absolutely, we shouldn’t even have to have this conversation in the USA.