Randy Fine, a Republican lawmaker from Florida, has drawn sharp criticism after posting a controversial message on social media stating, “If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one.”
The remark was made in response to a satirical comment by New York–based activist Nerdeen Kiswani, who had joked about dogs being considered unclean as indoor pets amid what she described as a “dog poop apocalypse” following a snowstorm in New York City.
Fine linked Kiswani to supporters of the city’s new Muslim mayor, Zohran Mamdani, which triggered a wave of reactions online.
If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one.
— Congressman Randy Fine (@RepFine) February 15, 2026
Randy Fine Faces Heat On Social Media
Social media users condemned his message as Islamophobic and dehumanizing.
Fine’s post prompted strong condemnation from several commentators, including senior journalist Mehdi Hasan, who wrote, “We are now into full on genocidal Rwandan rhetoric from a sitting Republican member of Congress.
(That every Dem member of Congress and every liberal media outlet are not calling out this guy is a reminder that they should never be taken seriously on any kind of bigotry again.)”
We are now into full on genocidal Rwandan rhetoric from a sitting Republican member of Congress.
(That every Dem member of Congress and every liberal media outlet are not calling out this guy is a reminder that they should never be taken seriously on any kind of bigotry again.) https://t.co/KqKEsA9UD2
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) February 15, 2026
Randy Fine’S Previous Calls for Muslim Ban and Deportations
The controversy has also revived scrutiny of Fine’s past statements. Last year, following a mass shooting in Australia, the congressman suggested that the United States should ban Muslims from entering the country and expel those already living there.
Fine said he supported deportations not only of undocumented Muslims but also of legal immigrants, along with what he described as “citizenship revocations wherever possible.”
In a post on X at the time, he wrote, “This has to stop. Diversity is not our strength. Diversity has become suicidal. It is time for a Muslim travel ban, radical deportations of all mainstream Muslim legal and illegal immigrants, and citizenship revocations wherever possible. Mainstream Muslims have declared war on us. The least we can do is kick them the hell out of America.”
Who Is Randy Fine?
Randy Fine, an ally of President Donald Trump, also previously suggested that “mainstream Muslims” should be destroyed and said he was not concerned about being labeled Islamophobic.
During a congressional hearing, Fine, who has faced criticism for a history of Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian remarks, referred to claims that Israelis are barred from entering certain parts of the occupied West Bank due to what he described as “apartheid” imposed against Israeli settlers, a characterization widely disputed by experts.
Fine currently serves in the United States House of Representatives. He was sworn in as a member of Congress by the Speaker of the House on April 2, 2025, after being elected to represent Florida’s 6th Congressional District. He was formally added to the rolls of the House upon taking the oath of office.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
