---
title: A Nation Transformed - August 17, 2026
description: Behind one airport decision: the data on Sharia views and Muslim immigration growth in America since 1980.
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![Islam](https://thewilmingtonstandard.com/images/daily_update/2026/august/aug17/aug172026-article.png)

Stopping the construction of a foot-washing station in Texas solves nothing.

This is the Wilmington Standard Daily Update for Monday August 17, 2026.

[According to the Epoch Times](https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/dallas-airport-shelves-muslim-washing-facilities-after-texas-governor-threatens-airport-funding-6075683), Texas Governor Greg Abbot has put a stop to putting in dedicated foot-washing stations at the Dallas Fort Worth airport. The stations would have been used for Muslim travelers for ritual cleansing for prayer.

According to an opening statement given by Rep. Chip Roy from Texas at a hearing on [Sharia-Free America](https://www.congress.gov/index.php/event/119th-congress/house-event/118945/text) in February of this year:

…a September 2024 survey discovered the following about United States Muslims: Fifty percent favored Sharia blasphemy law, making it illegal to show a picture or cartoon of Muhammad; 46 percent were in favor to form a Muslim political party; 39 percent supported broad application of Sharia in the United States; 33 percent wanted Islam declared as our national religion. A previous Pew study found 19 percent of American Muslims believed suicide bombing on behalf of Islam should be justified.

Representative Roy is correct when he says these results should be troubling to everybody. There is not one of these sentiments – save perhaps just forming a Muslim political party – that is not at complete odds with our Western ideology and political system.

And yet remarkably, we keep letting them into our country.

According to the [Center of Immigration Studies](https://cis.org/Fishman/Accelerating-Immigration-and-Naturalization-Nationals-MuslimMajority-Nations), in 1980 America had a resident alien population of just over 513,000 people from Muslim-majority nations. In 2024, that number was over 4 million – representing a 702% increase. For naturalizations – those becoming American citizens – the number in 1980 of 10,530 was dwarfed by the 2024 number of 145,950 – a 1,286% increase.

Neither are they coming to be part of America. They are coming to change it. As one [Texas Imam](https://www.congress.gov/index.php/event/119th-congress/house-event/118945/text) said:

Mamdani is victory. We didn't succeed to conquer Vienna by the sword for 200 years, and now it's 10 percent Muslims. We need to enlarge the Muslim population in America.

A great number of Muslims do want to live free – and come to our country to get away from the madness of their countries of birth. But we also need to understand that there is a very real threat to our Republic from this incredible influx of people from Muslim countries. We need to overhaul our immigration system to make it harder and more selective to get in – not easier. We need to make sure Sharia law – in any flavor – is outlawed everywhere across our country. We need to ban attempts to teach Arabic language and culture in our public schools.

And we need to remember that it is the tenets of Christianity – and no other religion – that are the building blocks of what makes us free.

For the Wilmington Standard, I’m Reuel Sample. Thanks for listening.