US lawmaker claims Dallas malls feel like Pakistan, sparks outrage
What's the story
Republican Congressman Brandon Gill has sparked a controversy with his remarks on the alleged "Islamisation" of parts of Texas. In a video message, Gill claimed that visiting certain malls in Texas "feels like you're in Pakistan, not Dallas." He said, "I hear from constituents all the time who are deeply and desperately concerned about the Islamisation of the Dallas area."
Twitter Post
Brandon Gill's video message
Texans shouldn’t go to the mall and feel like they’re in Pakistan.
— Congressman Brandon Gill (@RepBrandonGill) February 6, 2026
Mass Islamic migration is killing the America we know and love. pic.twitter.com/me2UyKpqcy
Community response
Gill's comments slammed by Muslim community
Gill's comments have been slammed by members of the Muslim community in Texas. They said his remarks are divisive and do not reflect the state's true character. A Pakistan-origin doctor at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Centre, Hasham Sarwar, reacted to Gill's comments by sharing a photo of the Congressman with Pakistani community members during a campaign fundraiser.
Irony highlighted
Political commentator weighs in on controversy
Political commentator Sara Spector also weighed in on the controversy. She pointed out that the 2019 El Paso Walmart shooter was a "white kid" inspired by President Donald Trump's rhetoric. This comes as Gill's remarks come amid a larger national debate within the Republican Party over immigration and cultural integration.
Stance history
Gill's history of controversial remarks
Gill, who represents Texas's 26th Congressional District in the US House of Representatives, has a history of making controversial and anti-immigration remarks. He recently said Islam came to the United States through a "suicidal immigration system." In June 2025, he responded to Zohran Mamdani's video eating rice with his hands by telling him to "go back to the Third World." Last June, he compared California in the 1960s and today, arguing that "mass migration" makes America "unrecognizable."
Congressional focus
More about Gill and his political career
Gill was elected to Congress in 2024 and is a member of the House Judiciary, Budget, and Oversight Committees, including the DOGE Subcommittee. His focus areas include securing borders, protecting life, eradicating government waste, and restoring America's economic strength. Gill's wife, Danielle D'Souza Gill, is of Indian origin and the daughter of Indian-American commentator and Trump ally Dinesh D'Souza.