Cruz at RNC Convention: 'Sharia Law Has No Place in America'

Texas senator tells Dallas crowd the legal system is 'fundamentally inconsistent' with the Constitution, calls out Democratic candidates by name

By [Staff Writer] | September 11, 2026

DALLAS — Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) declared that Sharia law "has no place in America" during a fiery speech at the Republican National Committee's midterm convention on Thursday, drawing rapturous applause and chants of "USA" from the crowd at the American Airlines Center.

"Hear me now: Sharia law has no place in America," Cruz said. "It is fundamentally inconsistent with the Constitution of the United States, and we need to stand together to stop it now".

The eight-minute address, delivered on the second and final night of the convention, focused on what Cruz described as a growing threat of a "red-green alliance" of "communists and Islamists" taking over the Democratic Party.

Cruz Calls Out Democrats by Name

Cruz specifically targeted several Democratic figures, urging Republicans to take their past statements seriously.

"When Hasan Piker says 'America deserved 9/11,' he means it," Cruz said. "When Mamdani says he wants to 'seize the means of production,' he means it. When Abdul El-Sayed says he has an 'obligation' to comply with Sharia law, he means it. And when James Talarico says he wants to 'dismantle capitalism,' he means it".

The senator's criticism of El-Sayed, Michigan's Democratic Senate nominee, stems from a 2009 interview with The New York Times in which El-Sayed, then a medical student, said he felt an "obligation" to follow Sharia law in buying his first home. Muslims are discouraged from paying interest on loans, which can complicate mortgage financing.

Cruz's remarks about Talarico referenced a CNN report that the Texas Democratic Senate nominee said in 2020 that capitalism needed to be "dismantled" along with white supremacy and climate change. Talarico's campaign responded that the Democrat is a "proud capitalist".

Hecklers Shout 'He Should Be Shot'

The speech was punctuated by shouts from the crowd. After each Democratic name Cruz mentioned, a voice could be heard yelling "He should be shot". It was unclear whether Cruz heard the shouts, and representatives for the senator and the RNC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The outbursts came on the same day many Republicans denounced political violence on the one-year anniversary of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed on a Utah college campus.

El-Sayed responded during an interview on CNN's "The Source with Kaitlan Collins." "I'm a dad with two daughters and I hope those daughters get to grow up and live with their dad," he said. "This is what has become norm in our politics. I mean, literally calls to violence." He added that "everybody who heard" the shouts should condemn them.

Broader Republican Push

Cruz's remarks are part of a broader Republican effort to target Sharia law. In recent months, several GOP lawmakers have introduced legislation on the issue.

Rep. Barry Moore (R-Ala.) introduced the CRUSADE Act in May, which would require certain immigrants to disavow Sharia law and take an oath to uphold the Constitution. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) introduced the BOOT Sharia Law Act, which would bar immigrants who support Sharia law from entering or remaining in the United States.

Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) introduced a concurrent resolution in September denouncing Sharia law and opposing its implementation within the United States. "The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the land," Self said. "We cannot allow Sharia law or any competing legal framework to undermine the liberties generations of Americans have fought and died to protect".

Convention Context

Cruz's speech came on the same night Vice President JD Vance delivered the headline address, positioning himself as a potential 2028 presidential contender. Cruz, the runner-up to Trump in the 2016 primary, also addressed the convention after rejecting the idea that Republicans would simply anoint Vance.

The two-day event featured speeches from Republican Senate nominees and Trump cabinet secretaries, with President Trump addressing the convention on Wednesday.