Rep. Mary Miller (R-Ill.) said in a since-deleted social media post on Friday it was “deeply troubling” that a Sikh man, whom she initially misidentified as Muslim, led a prayer on the floor of the House.
Miller wrote on X that the man, Giani Surinder Singh, “should never have been allowed” to lead the prayer and called for Congress to uphold the “truth” that “America was founded as a Christian nation.”
Miller’s original post incorrectly identified Singh as Muslim. She subsequently corrected the post before deleting it entirely.
Singh was invited to lead the prayer, a regular tradition ahead of House sessions being called to order, by Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.).
Miller did not respond to a request for comment.
Following Singh’s prayer, Van Drew praised him for his work leading a Sikh congregation in New Jersey.
“Day after day, year after year, he leads not just with words, but with example, with peace, with humility, with service towards all,” Van Drew said on the House floor. “These are not just Sikh values. They are American values.”
Harman Singh, executive director of the Sikh Coalition, a nonprofit focused on protecting civil rights for the Sikh community, called on Miller to apologize for her “hateful rhetoric” and urged her to meet with Sikhs in her district.
“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,” Singh said in a statement to POLITICO. “We encourage Congresswoman Miller to learn this lesson from her Sikh constituents, and would be happy to facilitate these conversations.”
Haris Tarin, vice president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, condemned Miller’s “Islamaphobia” and called on her to apologize while pushing back on Miller’s belief that the U.S. is a Christian nation.
“We were intentionally founded as a nation of all faiths,” Tarin told POLITICO. “Apparently she must have forgotten about the First Amendment in this country.”
Some lawmakers immediately condemned Miller’s post.
“It’s deeply troubling that someone with such contempt for religious freedom is allowed to serve in this body,” Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) posted on X. “This should have never been allowed to happen.”
“It’s deeply troubling that such an ignorant and hateful extremist is serving in the United States Congress,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on X. “That would be you, Mary.”
“I’m troubled by my colleague’s remarks about this morning’s Sikh prayer, which have since been deleted,” Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.) wrote on X. “Throughout the country—and in the Central Valley— Sikh-Americans are valued and respected members of our communities, yet they continue to face harassment and discrimination.
The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus — whose membership is comprised of solely Democratic lawmakers — accused Miller of “anti-Sikh and anti-Muslim bigotry” for conflating the two religions.
“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 in a statement.
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