A US lawmaker has stirred a debate after claiming that some areas of Texas are going through “Islamisation”. He said that visiting certain malls in the state now “feels like you’re in Pakistan, not Dallas”.
Republican Congressman Brandon Gill made these comments in a video posted on social media. He captioned the clip, “Mass Islamic migration is killing the America we know and love.” He argued that changes in population in parts of the Dallas region have begun to affect the cultural identity of local neighbourhoods.
Claims about cultural change
Gill said that many people in his constituency often contact him to share their worries. According to him, they are “deeply and desperately concerned” about what he described as the Islamisation of the area. He claimed that mosques were “popping up” close to land owned by families for generations. He also alleged that entire communities were slowly changing.
In an interview with Real America’s Voice, Gill said that some residents feel their lifestyle and traditions are shifting. “You hear constituents talking about going to their local malls, and it feels like you’re in Pakistan, not Dallas, Texas. That’s a problem,” he said.
However, he did not present any data or factual evidence to support these claims. This led to strong criticism on social media. Many users accused him of making divisive statements. Others connected his remarks to earlier controversies linked to his family.
Past controversy involving family
Gill’s wife, Danielle D’Souza Gill, is of Indian origin and the daughter of conservative commentator and Trump supporter Dinesh D’Souza. The couple had previously faced criticism for comments aimed at Indian-origin Democrat Zohran Mamdani during the New York City mayoral election.
The issue started when Gill reshared a video showing Mamdani eating rice with his hands. He wrote that “civilized people in America don’t eat like this.” Danielle D’Souza Gill later supported the remark and said she had always used a fork.
Social media users quickly responded, saying that eating with hands is a normal practice in many South Asian cultures, including India. In reply to the backlash, she highlighted her Christian faith and American upbringing.
Civilized people in America don’t eat like this.
— Congressman Brandon Gill (@RepBrandonGill) June 30, 2025
If you refuse to adopt Western customs, go back to the Third World. https://t.co/TYQkcr0nFE
Political background
Brandon Gill represents Texas’s 26th Congressional District. He was elected to the US House of Representatives in 2024. He has said that his main focus areas include border security, cutting government spending, and strengthening the American economy.