Since the Israel-Hamas war began, there has been a surge in Islamophobic bias, with the largest increase since Donald Trump's Muslim ban in 2015. This has led to fear among American Muslims, who are now concerned about their safety at home. Democrats, who have traditionally fought for equity and social justice, are allowing Islamophobia to sabotage the judicial nomination of Adeel Mangi, the first-ever Muslim attorney to sit on a federal appeals court. Confirming Mangi would add diversity to the nation's courts and a check on biases. However, Democrats who vowed to vote "no" on Mangi's confirmation are openly giving credence to Islamophobia, questioning the party's true purpose.
Mangi, a judicial nominee, has faced accusations of antisemitism by Republicans over a Rutgers University event. He was an advisory board member for the Center for Security, Race and Rights, which held a panel discussion in 2021 honoring 9/11. Mangi testified that he was not aware of the event and would condemn any terrorism. Republicans have used similar tactics to the GOP, including insinuating that TikTok CEO Shou Chew is affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party.
