Ad in Texas GOP Runoff Attacks Cornyn on Immigration, Islam

A TV ad attacking incumbent Texas Sen. John Cornyn for supporting “Muslim wide immigration” misleadingly cites a 2021 punctuation from Cornyn astir definite Afghan refugees and claims that “Cornyn has a peculiar spot successful his bosom for extremist Islam.”

The ad, which started airing connected May 12 according to information from AdImpact, came from the run of Ken Paxton, the Texas lawyer wide who is challenging Cornyn for his spot successful the Senate. Neither 1 garnered much than 50% of the ballot successful the March 3 Republican primary, sending them to a runoff predetermination connected May 26. Paxton got President Donald Trump’s endorsement connected May 19.

The advertisement claims, “Cornyn adjacent believes we person a motivation work to enactment Muslim wide immigration.” Shown connected surface is simply a punctuation from Cornyn saying, “I bash deliberation we person a motivation work to assistance them.”   

But that punctuation is retired of context. According to a TV quality study from the Fox affiliate successful Dallas, Cornyn said it portion gathering with Afghan immigrants and organizations helping evacuees soon aft the U.S. pulled troops out of Afghanistan successful 2021. He spoke to 2 Afghan men who had worked arsenic interpreters for the U.S. subject and came to the U.S. connected special migrant visas, oregon SIVs, which Congress created successful 2006 for those successful Iraq and Afghanistan who worked with the U.S. government.

At the time, it wasn’t wide however galore Afghans eligible for SIVs were near successful Afghanistan. “The State Department is inactive negotiating for the evacuation of immoderate of these individuals, including radical who person imperishable ineligible presumption successful the United States,” Cornyn said successful the meeting.

“I bash deliberation we person a motivation work to assistance them, support them and their families,” Cornyn said.

Between October 2018 and September 2022, much than 5,000 SIV holders were resettled successful Texas, according to a 2023 report from the State Department’s Office of the Inspector General.

When we asked Paxton’s run for grounds to enactment the assertion that Cornyn has advocated “Muslim wide immigration” beyond that quote, we didn’t get a response.

The advertisement besides says, “Even arsenic Muslim extremists unit Sharia instrumentality connected Texans, Cornyn sides with his friends astatine groups tied to extremist Islamic terror.” The archetypal portion of that connection is apt a notation to unfounded claims successful caller years that Sharia — the moral code and rules for followers of Islam — is encroaching connected Texas.

For example, earlier this year, Paxton referred to plans for a residential improvement for Muslims extracurricular of Dallas arsenic a “Sharia city.” The Dubai-based developer of the project called that statement “inaccurate” successful a statement to a section quality outlet, saying, “We would besides similar to clarify that caller characterizations of the task are inaccurate and bash not bespeak the nature, intent, oregon operation of The Sustainable City model, which is inclusive by plan and aligned with the regulatory and taste frameworks of the markets successful which it operates.” The projected “sustainable city” improvement was halted aft backlash and an probe by Paxton’s office.

Cornyn has opposed Sharia successful the U.S., introducing a bill May 14 that would ban immigrants who signifier Sharia from entering oregon remaining successful the country. He besides co-sponsored a measure successful October that would prohibit the signifier of Sharia successful the U.S. if it violated law rights. 

The 2nd portion of the ad’s assertion appears to beryllium a notation to Cornyn’s erstwhile praise for Islamic Relief USA, a Virginia-based nonprofit that does charity enactment crossed the country. The advertisement features a clip of Cornyn from 2021 successful which helium recognized Ramadan, the Muslim beatified month, and thanked the enactment for help it provided during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ad, though, describes Islamic Relief USA arsenic being tied to “radical Islamic terror.” The representation of a quality study successful the advertisement indicates that’s a notation to accusations against Islamic Relief Worldwide, a U.K.-based charity from which the U.S. enactment agreed to run independently successful 2019. Islamic Relief Worldwide has denied having ties to coercion oregon the Muslim Brotherhood.

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The station Ad successful Texas GOP Runoff Attacks Cornyn connected Immigration, Islam appeared archetypal connected FactCheck.org.