A Texas high school student has gained notoriety for speaking out against Islamic groups distributing hijabs at his school, claiming he has received death threats as a result. Marco Hunter-Lopez, 16, president of the Campus Republican Club at Wylie East High School, testified last week before Congressman Chip Roy’s House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government. The hearing was titled “Sharia-Free America.”
During his testimony, Hunter-Lopez recounted an incident from February 2, where he found an Islamic booth on campus staffed by women from the organization “Why Islam?” They were distributing hijabs, copies of the Quran with instructions on conversion, and a pamphlet labeled “Understanding Sharia.”
His social media post about this booth drew national attention, and shortly after, he noted in his testimony that he began receiving death threats. “Some people even said they were waiting for me to come home to shoot me,” he shared. Despite this, he stated, “I wake up every morning feeling victorious with Christ, so I know that no one can declare anything about me.”
In his remarks, Hunter-Lopez asserted that Sharia law contradicts the U.S. Constitution and values. He argued that providing minors educational materials that support Sharia law without parental consent undermines the principles public schools should uphold. “This isn’t neutral education. It promotes an ideology under the pretense of diversity and inclusion,” he claimed.
The exchange with Congressman Jamie Raskin, a Democrat, sparked considerable discussion. Raskin questioned the necessity of special laws targeting particular religious groups when secular laws could suffice. During this back-and-forth, Hunter-Lopez countered, noting that many Founding Fathers were church-going Christians.
After clips of their interaction circulated online, many conservatives praised Hunter-Lopez for his articulate responses. He mentioned that he was ready to defend his views, although Raskin often interrupted him. “I think he wanted to catch me off guard, but that didn’t happen. I accepted the fight,” he reflected.
Hunter-Lopez attributed his strength to his community and his beliefs, indicating that his peers have become more vocal after the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. He suggested that students should connect with one another and participate in their communities.
He also touched on complaints that the Republican Club faced “hostile surveillance” by school officials since its establishment. Hunter-Lopez alleged that school authorities treated the club as overly political, while he maintained that they selectively enforced regulations on political and religious student groups.
In response, Wylie Independent School District officials denied any wrongdoing, asserting they remain religiously neutral and uphold the rights of all students. They clarified that the February incident stemmed from a procedural slip-up rather than an intentional bias.
Rep. Chip Roy, along with Rep. Keith Self, have been actively pushing back against what they see as threats posed by Sharia law. Roy commended Hunter-Lopez for his bravery, emphasizing that the growing influence of Islam in Texas is a significant concern.
Self further expressed doubts about the school’s claims, suggesting that this was not a simple oversight but part of a pattern. However, the school district refuted this assertion, stating that they had adequately addressed the incident and made improvements to policies moving forward.
