Sponsors (19)
Introduced February 4, 2025 by Ilhan Omar · Last progress February 4, 2025
The bill increases U.S. documentation and diplomatic tools to expose and address Islamophobia abroad—potentially improving visibility, protections, and policy targeting—while imposing modest State Department costs and creating risks of diplomatic friction or retaliation.
Muslim communities abroad will be more systematically documented in U.S. country reporting, increasing visibility of physical attacks, harassment, and vandalism against Muslims and Muslim institutions.
U.S. diplomacy and foreign-assistance decisions will be better informed by Islamophobia-specific data, enabling more targeted human-rights advocacy and policy responses.
Governments will be publicly assessed on their responses to anti-Muslim propaganda and violence, increasing international pressure for corrective action and legal protections.
Some foreign governments may view expanded U.S. reporting and spotlighting of Islamophobia as intrusive interference, increasing diplomatic friction and complicating bilateral cooperation.
The State Department will face new staffing, research, and coordination costs to collect and produce Islamophobia data, which could require reallocation of resources or additional taxpayer funding.
Governments criticized in reports could retaliate against U.S. citizens, institutions, or religious organizations abroad, creating safety and operational risks.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Creates a new Office to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia inside the State Department, led by a Special Envoy, to track and respond to incidents of anti‑Muslim violence, harassment, and incitement abroad. It also requires U.S. annual foreign‑policy reports to include standardized information on physical attacks and vandalism targeting Muslims and Muslim institutions, propaganda and media that incites hatred or violence against Muslims, government responses, legal protections, and anti‑bias or tolerance efforts. The Office must be established within 120 days of enactment and the reporting changes take effect 180 days after enactment. The Special Envoy may be an existing Department employee and may consult domestic and international NGOs and multilateral organizations to carry out the Office’s duties. The law does not specify new, dedicated funding.