Congressman Keith Self (TX-03) introduced the Freedom Against Imposed Theology Harms (FAITH) Act. Considering the infiltration of Sharia in America, this legislation reaffirms a core American principle: no individual should face financial coercion because of their religious beliefs or refusal to participate in someone else’s.
In communities across the United States, Sharia-adherent groups are attempting to impose parallel systems of control. The FAITH Act draws a clear line: No religious tax, no financial penalties, and no coercion for refusing to submit to someone else’s beliefs.
The legislation establishes a nationwide standard that prohibits any person, organization, or entity — governmental or nongovernmental — from imposing fees, fines, penalties, or any form of financial coercion based on an individual’s religious beliefs or their refusal to participate in another faith’s practices. Violations would be treated as predicate offenses under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, giving prosecutors powerful tools to dismantle organized efforts to enforce Sharia-compliant financial demands.
The bill explicitly safeguards legitimate religious liberty by preserving the right of religious and/or educational institutions to seek voluntary contributions from their own members for internal purposes.
“Sharia law, which includes mechanisms like the jizya tax on non-Muslims, is fundamentally incompatible with the American principle of religious equality and voluntary faith,” said Congressman Self. “While formal jizya is not imposed by U.S. law, we are seeing growing attempts to establish Sharia-adherent enclaves, parallel financial systems, and community coercion in parts of America — including right here in Texas. The FAITH Act draws a firm constitutional line: No American should ever pay a de facto religious tax or face financial penalties for their beliefs. We must make America Sharia-free and protect the First Amendment for everyone.”
