That Viral ‘Pulp Fiction’ Prayer Story That story really did go viral in the United States and elsewhere. And it all started with 'A Public Witness.'

It's been fun & stunning watching how the story about Hegseth's Pulp Fiction prayer went viral around the world. And it all started with a report from A Public Witness. Here's a roundup of the impact of that report: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/that-viral...

Congrats!!

Advocates say ICE uses strategies in the St. Louis area different from those used in parts of rural Missouri.

“We have a really extensive police-to-ICE pipeline that is serving to funnel thousands of Missourians into the detention and deportation machine,” said Ashrei Foundation director Sara Ruiz.

Iran war rhetoric puts Shiite Muslims in the US at risk, advocates say

religionnews.com/2026/04/08/i...

ICE detains president of Islamic Society of Milwaukee (RNS) — Lawyers and advocates for Salah Sarsour say he was targeted for his Muslim faith and advocacy for Palestinians. 

(RNS) — Lawyers and advocates for Salah Sarsour say he was targeted for his Muslim faith and advocacy for Palestinians.

Spectacular high-resolution image of our home planet viewed through the Orion Crew Module window by the Artemis II astronauts as they continue their journey to the Moon on Flight Day 2, 3 April 2026 (pic: NASA)

A full disc image of Earth, as seen from the Orion Crew Module. The planet is a pale blue, swirling with white clouds and glowing slightly lighter blue in place from reflected light. At lower left, a large brown landmass is Africa, with Spain and Portugal with twinkling lights where the planet curves. At top right, auroras glow in a thin green glow, just barely separated from the planet's surface. Earth is set against the black of space (pic: NASA/R.Wiseman)

😮 Awesome views from Day 2 of #Artemis II this morning.

@exploration.esa.int @esaearth.esa.int

UPDATE: In a Thursday statement, Lauren Bis, acting Department of Homeland Security secretary for public affairs, said Sarsour was convicted for throwing throwing Molotov cocktails at the homes of Israeli armed forces.

His lawyers say U.S. authorities have known about Sarsour’s record since 1993.

ICE detains president of Islamic Society of Milwaukee (RNS) — Lawyers and advocates for Salah Sarsour say he was targeted for his Muslim faith and advocacy for Palestinians.

Salah Sarsour’s lawyers and advocates say he was targeted by ICE for his Muslim faith and advocacy for Palestinians.

Sarsour has been living in the country as a lawful permanent resident since 1993.

MORE: religionnews.com/2026/04/02/i...

By the time most people are winding down for the night, Muslims in Ramadan head to mosques for long Taraweeh prayers. Among them are students who lead the prayers, reciting the Quran entirely from memory.

It's a nerve-wracking responsibility. I talk to the young men who choose to take this on:

Last pro-Palestinian protester detained in Trump's campus crackdowns is released by ICE (RNS) — Leqaa Kordia, a 33-year-old Palestinian woman who has lived in New Jersey for a decade, was detained last March after protesting near Columbia University against Israel’s bombing campaign in Gaza.

(RNS) — Leqaa Kordia, a 33-year-old Palestinian woman who has lived in New Jersey for a decade, was detained last March after protesting near Columbia University against Israel’s bombing campaign in Gaza.

Happening now: Christian, Muslim and Jewish leaders just tried to meet w/Speaker Johnson, calling on him to censure fellow Republicans such as Rep. Andy Ogles for recent anti-Muslim rhetoric — such as Ogles tweeting "Muslims don't belong in American society."

No meeting — they prayed in his office.

This is a good lesson for journalists: Use plain language to state true things clearly.

For Yaakub Vijandre, Ramadan in ICE detention is a lesson in patience while facing injustice.

“In here if you don’t have a purpose, and you don’t have a higher being to turn to, an avenue or a medium to remain calm, you’re going to break apart,” he said. “It’s designed for you to break down.”

Leftover ramen, too few Qurans: A 'humiliating' Ramadan inside ICE detention centers ICE is required to accommodate religious practice. Muslim detainees say that this Ramadan, it comes down to whoever is on shift. 'You are basically at the mercy of staff.'

Incredible reporting from Nargis Rahman and @ulaakuzi.bsky.social: Leftover ramen, too few Qurans: A 'humiliating' Ramadan inside ICE detention centers —> religionnews.com/2026/03/12/l...

Judge blocks DeSantis' terrorist label of Muslim group The court’s injunction allows CAIR-Florida to continue its work while the group’s lawsuit plays out.

The judge’s ruling stopped a “targeted attack on the Muslim community,” said Hiba Rahim, interim ED of CAIR-Florida.

The judge wrote: “Once again, Florida chooses political posturing over the First Amendment.”

religionnews.com/2026/03/05/c...

A federal judge today barred Florida's governor from labeling a Muslim civil rights organization a terrorist group.

The judge wrote Ron DeSantis' order against CAIR put "political posturing over the First Amendment."

🎊🎊 Happy Texas Primary Day yall! I’m celebrating by tracking whether far-right candidates continue a years long electoral hot streak. A 🧵🧵 of storylines I’m watching, replete with all the color and wackiness you’d expect from our most colorful and wacky state:

“I just bought an elementary school, and that’s kind of crazy,” Mohamad Altabaa said at the start of each video, all of which have since gone viral, with more than 1 million views and 100,000 likes on one video alone.

Shooting incidents unsettle Muslims as Ramadan begins Muslim advocates have warned that recent Islamophobic rhetoric from national political leaders can make targets of community members and their houses of worship.

Imam Shuaib Din of the Utah Islamic Center told @rns.org he is nearly certain the shooter targeted him.

“He knew where I lived, he knew my schedule, knew the make and model of my car, and then he came after me,” Din said.

religionnews.com/2026/02/25/s...

“The lessons of Ramadan are most relevant this year because of the fear and despair,” Imam Abdisalam Adam said. “So definitely, people are tapping into their faith for grounding.”

After ICE raids, Ramadan in Minnesota is somber, but some hope it offers healing Interfaith leaders across the Twin Cities are organizing dinners rooted in solidarity with Somali Americans and the Muslim community.

“The lessons of Ramadan are most relevant this year because of the fear and despair,” Imam Abdisalam Adam said. “So definitely, people are tapping into their faith for grounding.”

religionnews.com/2026/02/20/r...

New GOP caucus signals resurgence of anti-Shariah movement (RNS) — In the Obama era, anti-Islam conservatives sought to block mosques and claimed Islamic law was about to take over America. Now, members of Congress and legislators in Texas and Oklahoma are tr...

Back in 2010, a group of activists warned that Muslims were going to take over America and said Muslims have no right to freedom of religion. The courts disagreed, and these groups faded. And now the fear of Sharia law is back

religionnews.com/2026/02/13/s...

New GOP caucus signals resurgence of anti-Shariah movement In the Obama era, anti-Islam conservatives sought to block mosques and claimed Islamic law was about to take over America. Now, members of Congress and legislators in Texas and Oklahoma are trying to ...

Good @rns.org piece by @ulaakuzi.bsky.social & @bmietana.bsky.social on anti-Shariah politics in DC, Texas, & Oklahoma: religionnews.com/2026/02/13/s...
This form of Islamophobia also popping up elsewhere. Last month, I testified against such legislation in Missouri: www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5_c...

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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed another lawsuit in Collin County related to a planned Muslim-centric development with ties to the East Plano Islamic Center. bit.ly/3ZFIR32

Leqaa Kordia returned to ICE detention after lawyers say she was 'disappeared' (RNS) — Lawyers for Kordia say the Department of Homeland Security denied multiple requests asking where she was hospitalized, raising concerns about the agency’s transparency and medical care.

Via @ulaakuzi.bsky.social: Leqaa Kordia returned to ICE detention after lawyers say she was 'disappeared' —> religionnews.com/2026/02/11/p...

This morning at @propublica.org, we published a pair of stories about the children held at the immigrant detention center for families in Dilley, Texas. www.propublica.org/article/life...

For some St. Louisans living on the street, frostbite can cause lasting harm People without a stable place to live are more likely to suffer from frostbite, a potentially debilitating condition for those in precarious housing situations.

Heartbreaking reporting on amputations and frostbite this winter in St. Louis by STLPR's Sarah Fentem:

“Sitting at these bus stops, waiting, I'm wearing two packs of warmers, three pairs of gloves, just trying to save my fingers...I think they’re unsavable now because I've lost the feeling.”

Minneapolis Native communities fight fear of ICE with traditional ritual and prayer (RNS) — In Minneapolis, many Native people say they are reluctant to leave their homes for fear of being detained by federal ICE agents.

Via @fiona-murphy.bsky.social: Minneapolis Native communities fight fear of ICE with traditional ritual and prayer —> religionnews.com/2026/02/07/m...

Big thanks to @ulaakuzi.bsky.social for this interview with @annapiela.bsky.social and I - check it out, and support our work to build a pluralistic democracy.

Tornado victims lose hope as St. Louis programs deny relief to hundreds Nearly nine months later, St. Louis programs aimed to help people impacted by the May 16 tornado are only getting started. City officials say they struggled to get the aid programs running.

My latest on tornado recovery in North St. Louis.

“There's so much red tape, and nobody knows what they're doing... Everybody is falling through the cracks.”

www.stlpr.org/government-p...