Representative Randy Fine, a Florida Republican, is facing accusations of Islamophobia over a social media post about Sharia law. The post said there are 57 countries where people can live under Sharia, and that America will not become the 58th. The controversy dates to February 2026 and has not gone away.
According to Florida Politics, Fine wrote that “there are 57 countries in the world where you can live under Sharia law” and that anyone who wants that should “go to THEM”. He added that “America will not become the 58th”. That is the only outlet we found that reproduced the wording in full.
The post followed another controversy. Fine had earlier written on X that “the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one”. That remark was a reply to a joke about dogs in New York City by activist Nerdeen Kiswani.
Kiswani later said her post was a joke about unscooped dog waste. Fine portrayed her as a key adviser to New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, but one report says she is not. The exchange turned a local joke into a national fight.
Fine did not back down. On a radio show hosted by Scott Jennings, he accused Democrats of siding with “puppy killing”. He also tied the issue to Sharia law, a subject he has spoken about for months.
Democrats responded sharply. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called Fine an “unrepentant bigot”, according to a Florida Politics headline. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Fine “should be censured & stripped of committees”.
Representative Dan Goldman called the comments “unacceptable and revolting” and urged Speaker Mike Johnson to bring a censure resolution to the floor. Representative Robert Garcia said Fine should be forced to resign. California Governor Gavin Newsom told him to “resign now”.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, known as CAIR, urged congressional leaders of both parties to condemn Fine. It also called on them to demand his resignation. So the accusations came mainly from Muslim advocacy groups and Democratic officials.
Not all criticism came from the left. One report said conservative commentators such as Megyn Kelly also criticized the dog remarks. Other Republicans later signed on to Fine’s follow-up bill.
That follow-up bill is called the Protecting Puppies from Sharia Act. According to reports, it would cut federal funding to states or local governments that ban dog ownership or treat it as haram. Reported co-sponsors include Representatives Chip Roy, Keith Self and Brandon Gill.
Fine’s supporters say the bill and the 57 countries post make a simple point. They argue that Americans should not be pressured to accept foreign legal systems in their own communities. They see the backlash as proof that critics will not tolerate any debate about Sharia.
Fine has spoken more broadly on the topic. In February 2026 he told The Floridian that Sharia is about “conquest, not assimilation”. He also said he belongs to the Sharia-Free America Caucus, which Representative Chip Roy founded.
Critics say those words paint an entire religion with one brush. They argue that Muslim Americans are not asking to replace the Constitution with a religious code. They say the 57 countries line implies that Muslim Americans do not belong here.
There is also a factual wrinkle. The number 57 matches the member count of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Legal systems among those states differ widely, and many are not governed strictly by Sharia.
Supporters of Fine might answer that his point was about American law, not about those countries. The Constitution already limits what any court can enforce. Many states have also passed their own bans on applying foreign law that violates constitutional rights.
The fight also raises a question about speech and office. Members of Congress are free to speak, but their words carry weight. Critics say a lawmaker should not target a faith, while supporters say criticizing an ideology is not the same as hating people.
No formal censure vote on Fine has been reported in the sources we found. Democrats have called for one, but they are in the minority in the House. Readers should check current House records for any later action.
Muslim advocacy groups say rhetoric like this can fuel hostility toward ordinary families. Some Muslim Americans also say they want open debate about religion and law, not silence. The two views are not always in conflict.
There is a middle path some commentators suggest. Policymakers can debate Sharia-related laws on the merits without attacking believers. Both sides could also agree that every American is equal before the same Constitution.
This story is from February 2026, not breaking news. The accusations and the bill remain part of an ongoing argument. We will update this post if new developments are reported.
So who is right in this fight? Was Fine stating a firm line on American law, or was he singling out a religion? There are strong views on each side.
Tell us what you think in the comments. Do you see his post as a warning about Sharia or as Islamophobia? We welcome respectful views from every perspective.
