A Republican congresswoman is under fire after she misidentified a Sikh religious leader as Muslim and declared he should never have been allowed to deliver the House’s morning prayer.
Rep. Mary Miller (R-Illinois), a far-right lawmaker with a history of inflammatory remarks, drew immediate condemnation from both sides of the aisle after the shocking social media post on Friday.
Miller claimed it was ‘deeply troubling’ for a non-Christian to lead the prayer and falsely stated the United States was founded as a Christian nation.
The backlash was swift, and within hours, Miller had deleted the post without explanation.
Leaders in both parties slammed her remarks as ignorant, bigoted, and fundamentally un-American.
The controversy began after Miller misidentified Giani Surinder Singh, a Sikh religious leader from New Jersey, as a Muslim declaring on X that he ‘should have never been allowed’ to lead the House of Representatives’ morning prayer.
Even worse, she invoked a debunked claim that America was ‘founded as a Christian nation’ and demanded the government ‘reflect that truth.’
Her comments, posted in the early morning hours, were later edited and saw her replacing ‘Muslim’ with ‘Sikh’, before ultimately being hastily deleted altogether.
Rep. Mary Miller (R-Illinois), a far-right lawmaker with a history of inflammatory remarks, drew immediate condemnation from both sides of the aisle
Miller claimed it was ‘deeply troubling’ for a non-Christian to lead the prayer and falsely stated the United States was founded as a Christian nation. She also misidentified Giani Surinder Singh, a Sikh religious leader from New Jersey, as a Muslim
Miller later edited her tweet which saw her replacing ‘Muslim’ with ‘Sikh’, before ultimately being hastily deleted altogether
But the damage was done and Miller was condemned with a ferocity rarely seen in the capital’s often polarized chambers.
‘It’s deeply troubling that such an ignorant and hateful extremist is serving in the United States Congress. That would be you, Mary,’ House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) blasted on X, leading a chorus of denunciations that crossed party lines.
Rep. Nick LaLota (R-New York), one of the first Republicans to speak out, didn’t mince words.
‘A Sikh prayer on the House floor doesn’t violate the Constitution, offend my Catholic faith, or throttle my support for Israel,’ he posted. ‘Live and let live.’
LaLota later expanded: ‘While our nation’s founding was indeed shaped by Judeo-Christian values, the First Amendment unequivocally guarantees that our government remains neutral toward all religions.’
Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-New Jersey), who invited Singh to offer the prayer, stood firmly behind his guest.
‘As a Catholic, I take my faith seriously and I also believe part of being American is respecting other people’s faiths too,’ Van Drew said in a statement.
‘The Sikh community is peaceful, generous, and deeply rooted in family and service – values we should all appreciate, no matter our religion.’
Miller was condemned with a ferocity rarely seen in the capital’s often polarized chambers
Rep. Nick LaLota (R-New York), one of the first Republicans to speak out, didn’t mince words
Democrat Rep. Grace Meng (D-New York) was fuming at Miller’s actions
Democrats were no less scathing.
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-New Jersey) wrote: ‘It’s deeply troubling that someone with such contempt for religious freedom is allowed to serve in this body.’
‘What’s deeply disturbing is the blatant ignorance and anti-Sikh, anti-Muslim xenophobia coming from my colleague across the aisle,’ Rep. Grace Meng (D-New York) fumed, adding, ‘The tweet may have been deleted, but we still have the receipts.’
Rep. Jared Huffman (D-California) couldn’t resist a biting historical jab: ‘I often say that I serve in Congress with some of the greatest minds of the 18th century. With Miller, I may need to take it back a few more centuries.’
The uproar extended far beyond Capitol Hill as civil rights groups, religious organizations and advocacy coalitions piled on.
The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) issued a blistering statement accusing Miller of ‘anti-Sikh and anti-Muslim bigotry.’
‘Sikhs and Muslims practice two separate and distinct religions, and conflating the two based on how someone looks is not only ignorant but also racist,’ the group said.
The Sikh Coalition demanded a formal apology, with Executive Director Harman Singh declaring: ‘Congresswoman Miller should apologize for her remarks – to both the Sikh and Muslim communities, because no one should be targeted on the basis of their identity.’
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-New Jersey) wrote: ‘It’s deeply troubling that someone with such contempt for religious freedom is allowed to serve in this body.’
Rep. Jared Huffman (D-California) couldn’t resist a biting historical jab
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) blasted Miller on X, leading to a chorus of denunciations that crossed party lines
The Muslim Public Affairs Council echoed the call. ‘We were intentionally founded as a nation of all faiths,’ said Haris Tarin, the group’s vice president. ‘Apparently she must have forgotten about the First Amendment in this country.’
Even the Hindu American Foundation weighed in, lambasting Miller’s comments as ‘racist, xenophobic, and plainly un-American.’
For Miller, this was not a first offense. Her political career has been punctuated by repeated incendiary remarks.
In 2021, she faced fierce criticism for stating, ‘Hitler was right on one thing: Whoever has the youth has the future,’ a comment for which she later apologized.
In 2022, at a Trump rally celebrating the fall of Roe v. Wade, Miller raised eyebrows again when she declared it a ‘victory for white life,’ a gaffe her office attributed to a misread of prepared remarks.
Despite Miller’s claims, the United States was not founded as a Christian nation. The First Amendment expressly prohibits any establishment of religion, safeguarding the rights of all faiths – or none at all.
Article VI of the Constitution further enshrines this principle, stating: ‘No religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.’
The tradition of opening House sessions with prayer dates back centuries, with faith leaders from a wide array of religious backgrounds – including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism – offering invocations.
Giani Surinder Singh, the man at the center of this controversy, was praised by Van Drew for embodying American values through his ‘peace, humility, and service toward all.’