In Texas, a growing wave of Islamophobia is causing concern among local Muslim communities, as Republican lawmakers ramp up their rhetoric against sharia law. Ordinary religious practices of Muslims are increasingly being perceived as political threats, prompting pushback from community leaders. Politicians like Keith Self have questioned the boundaries of religious freedom versus U.S. law, igniting fears that Muslims are being unfairly targeted. Ahead of the midterms, many Houston Muslims feel that the party that once courted them has now abandoned them in favor of an anti-sharia agenda. The narrative has been further fueled by inflammatory statements from Republicans regarding supposed radical Islamist threats.