‘Married to daughter of Indian immigrant’: Row over Republican leader saying immigration system is ‘suicidal’

British journalist Mehdi Hasan criticised Republican Congressman Brandon Gill after the lawmaker made controversial remarks about Islam and immigration in the US. Hasan pointed out that Gill is married to the daughter of an Indian immigrant.Gill’s wife, Danielle D’Souza Gill, is the daughter of Indian‑American commentator and MAGA ally Dinesh D’Souza. Danielle is also active in pro‑Trump groups and right-wing media.Gillis is a Texas conservative leader who said that Islam is mostly foreign and “alien” to American history and that the United States only welcomed Muslims through recent immigration. In a post on X, he said, “Islam didn’t come to the United States on the Mayflower. We imported it relatively recently via a suicidal immigration system.” He added that importing “radical Islam” would “destroy America just like it’s destroying Europe right now.”

Business leaders like Elon Musk have also criticised European countries for allowing Muslims into their countries, claiming that it increases crime.He also said, “It’s our job to stand up to that, to stand up for our values and to prohibit alien cultures and alien ideologies that do not comport with our own government governing framework. And that’s why I’m proud to be part of the Sharia Free America Caucus.”Gill’s comments have been criticised for being anti‑Muslim and Islamophobic. Hasan and some Democratic supporters noted it is odd that Gill speaks strongly against immigration while being married to the daughter of an immigrant.Dinesh D’Souza, Gill’s father‑in‑law, is a well‑known Indian‑American conservative commentator, author, and filmmaker. He was born in Mumbai, and he moved to the US as an exchange student and graduated from Dartmouth College. Danielle married Brandon Gill in 2017, and they live in Flower Mound, Texas, with their daughter Marigold.