Tarrant County GOP Chairman Targets Muslim Lawmaker With Racist Comments Amid Texas Legislative Crisis
Bo French Calls for Deportation of Democratic Rep. Salman Bhojani, Spreads Anti-Muslim Rhetoric During Quorum Break Standoff
The chairman of the Tarrant County Republican Party launched a series of anti-Muslim attacks on a Texas Democratic state representative this week, calling for federal authorities to "denaturalize and deport" the Pakistan-born lawmaker while spreading inflammatory rhetoric about his faith and ethnicity amid the ongoing legislative standoff over congressional redistricting. Bo French targeted Democratic State Rep. Salman Bhojani of Arlington in multiple social media posts beginning Sunday, accusing him of lying about a family emergency trip to Pakistan and claiming without evidence that he was trying to "further jihad" by participating in the Democratic quorum break.
The racist attacks come as Republicans face mounting frustration over their inability to advance President Donald Trump's redistricting agenda due to the exodus of more than 50 House Democrats. French's comments represent a significant escalation in partisan rhetoric surrounding the legislative crisis and have drawn condemnation from civil rights advocates concerned about the targeting of Muslim elected officials.
GOP Chairman Demands Deportation of Elected Official
French's most inflammatory post came Monday evening when he directly called on Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, to take action against Bhojani, who was elected in 2022 as one of the first Muslim Americans to serve in the Texas Legislature.
"I am officially calling on @RealTomHoman to denaturalize and deport Pakistan-born, anti-American democrat, #txlege quorum-breaking, @realDonaldTrump's agenda-hating, redistricting-blocking @SalmanBhojaniTX," French wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "Thank you for your attention to this matter."
The Tarrant County GOP chairman also published what he claimed were addresses belonging to Bhojani, prompting security concerns for the lawmaker's family. Bhojani confirmed to KERA News that his family has received threats following French's posts.
"Unfortunately, people are targeting me for my faith and my ethnicity, for the country that I was born in, for their political gain," Bhojani said in a phone interview with KERA News. "They did not sign up to be targeted in this way."
False Accusations Trigger Racist Conspiracy Theories
The controversy began after Bhojani announced on August 3 that he was traveling to Pakistan for a family emergency and would be unable to participate in the special legislative session. French immediately accused the lawmaker of lying about his trip, suggesting he was actually in Texas and using the Pakistan visit as cover to join the Democratic quorum break.
"The same place Osama Bin Laden hid" was how the French referred to Pakistan in his initial attacks, while alleging without evidence that Bhojani was "lying to further jihad."
However, Bhojani provided documentation to The Texas Tribune proving his travel, including passport stamps and airline boarding passes showing he departed Texas on August 3 and returned from Karachi on Sunday, August 11. The Tribune's Renzo Downey confirmed the authenticity of the travel documents.
"@SalmanBhojaniTX and the @TexasHDC have shared with me his boarding pass and passport. The passport shows he arrived in Pakistan on Tues and left on Sun. Boarding pass shows his scheduled departure from Karachi at 5:20 pm on Sun and arrival in O'Hare at 8:15 am today," Downey reported on X.
Pattern of Anti-Muslim Rhetoric Emerges
French's attacks on Bhojani represent the latest in a series of controversial statements that have drawn criticism from Republican leaders. In July, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker called for French's removal after he posted a poll asking followers, "Who is a bigger threat to America?" with "Jews" and "Muslims" as the only options.
"Bo French's words do not reflect my values nor the values of the Republican Party," Patrick posted on X at the time. "Antisemitism and religious bigotry have no place in Texas."
French later apologized for that post, stating, "antisemitism has no place in the Republican Party." However, his recent targeting of Bhojani suggests the apology did little to change his approach to political discourse.
The Tarrant County GOP chairman has also amplified content from Amy Mek, founder of the Rise Align Ignite Reclaim foundation, which has posted anti-Muslim content that previously sparked controversy around the EPIC City development in North Texas. Mek's rhetoric about the Muslim community development prompted investigations by Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Normalization of Hateful Rhetoric Within the GOP
Political observers note that French's behavior reflects broader patterns within Republican politics, where targeting minority officials has become increasingly common. As party chair, French has been explicit about his goal to "make Tarrant County inhospitable for Democrats" by pulling the county GOP further to the right.
In July 2024, French appeared alongside other Republican leaders at a Fort Worth conference where speakers urged attendees to resist what they characterized as a Democratic campaign to "rid the earth of the white race" and embrace Christian nationalism.
Republican colleagues condemned French last year over posts using slurs against political opponents, with some party members expressing concern that his behavior represents a broader normalization of hateful and dehumanizing rhetoric within the party.
Security Concerns Mount for Targeted Lawmaker
Bhojani, who represents parts of Arlington, Euless, and Bedford in House District 92, acknowledged that targeting based on his religion and ethnicity is not new to his political career. He faced similar attacks when he ran for Euless City Council in 2018.
"I have a thick skin, so I can understand that there are people from all walks of life who have different opinions," Bhojani said. However, he expressed particular concern about the impact on his family members, who "did not sign up to be targeted in this way."
The publication of what French claimed were personal addresses has heightened security concerns, with Bhojani confirming his family has received threats since the social media attacks began. Civil rights organizations have noted that such doxxing tactics often lead to real-world harassment and violence against targeted individuals.
Legislative Context Fuels Political Tensions
French's attacks on Bhojani come amid the most significant political crisis in Texas in decades, as House Democrats have successfully blocked Republican efforts to redraw congressional maps that could deliver five additional seats to the GOP. The targeting of a Muslim lawmaker reflects the intense frustration among Republicans who have been unable to advance Trump's redistricting agenda.
After returning from Pakistan, Bhojani announced he would join his Democratic colleagues in breaking quorum, further inflaming tensions with Republican leadership. The quorum break has now entered its second week, with Democrats scattered across Illinois and other blue states to avoid arrest by Texas law enforcement.
French's rhetoric against Bhojani also included broader attacks on foreign-born Americans, with the GOP chairman asking his followers whether the law should be changed to "forbid foreign-born people from holding any elected office." Such proposals would directly contradict constitutional principles and the experiences of many naturalized American citizens who have served in elected positions throughout the nation's history.
Historical Context of Anti-Muslim Political Attacks
The targeting of Bhojani fits within a broader pattern of anti-Muslim rhetoric that has intensified in American politics over the past two decades. Muslim American elected officials, including Representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib at the federal level, have frequently faced similar attacks questioning their loyalty and fitness for office.
Civil rights organizations have documented increasing harassment of Muslim Americans in political contexts, with the Council on American-Islamic Relations reporting significant spikes in anti-Muslim incidents during election cycles. The specific combination of religious bigotry with deportation threats represents an escalation that legal experts say could constitute harassment or intimidation of an elected official.
Republican Leadership Response Awaited
As of Tuesday evening, most Republican leaders had not responded to requests for comment about French's latest controversial posts. The silence contrasts with the July incident when multiple GOP officials, including Lieutenant Governor Patrick, quickly condemned French's antisemitic poll.
Abbott, who previously ordered investigations into Muslim community developments following similar rhetoric from French's associates, has not commented on the targeting of Bhojani. Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has been aggressively pursuing Democrats who broke quorum, also has not addressed French's calls for deportation.
The lack of immediate condemnation from state Republican leadership has led Democratic officials to question whether the party's previous statements about rejecting bigotry were genuine or merely political positioning.
National Implications for Political Discourse
French's targeting of Bhojani occurs as Trump administration officials have signaled increased enforcement actions against immigrants and naturalized citizens. The president's border czar, Tom Homan, whom French directly tagged in his deportation demand, has announced plans for expanded immigration enforcement that could include review of naturalization cases.
Legal experts note that naturalized citizens cannot be stripped of citizenship except in sporadic cases involving fraud in the naturalization process. There is no evidence or allegation that Bhojani's naturalization involved any irregularities.
The incident highlights broader concerns about the targeting of minority elected officials and the potential chilling effect such attacks may have on political participation by immigrant communities. Civil rights advocates argue that rhetoric like French's undermines democratic participation and reflects dangerous trends in American political discourse.
Accountability and Democratic Norms
As the Texas legislative crisis continues, French's attacks on Bhojani represent a troubling intersection of partisan politics with racial and religious bigotry. The targeting of elected officials based on their faith and country of origin raises fundamental questions about democratic norms and the acceptable bounds of political discourse.
Whether Republican leaders will take meaningful action against French remains unclear, particularly given the party's previous pattern of limited consequences for similar behavior. The resolution of both the legislative standoff and the controversy surrounding French's rhetoric will likely influence future political discourse in Texas and nationally.
The incident underscores ongoing challenges facing Muslim Americans and other minority communities in political participation, while highlighting the urgent need for leaders across party lines to reject rhetoric that threatens the democratic participation of all Americans regardless of their faith or national origin.