Beth Van Duyne takes action to denounce Texas imam over Lindsey Graham’s comments

FIRST ON FOX: A Texas imam has been invited to pray before Congress faces a backlash on Capitol Hill after celebrating the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham on social media wishing him “an eternity in ruins” for his support of Israel.

Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, plans to introduce a resolution Wednesday that would formally impeach Omar Suleiman, president and founder of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research, near Dallas.

“In other news, Lindsey Graham is dead,” Suleiman said on social media early Sunday morning, shortly after news of Graham’s death broke. “Bye Lindsey. May you live forever in the ruins because of the ruins you helped create in Gaza. Ameen.”

Van Duyne, who represents the Dallas district where Suleiman lives, said Congress should condemn his strong message, pointing to his 2019 opening prayer before the House, which he delivered at the invitation of Democrats.

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“This kind of action by a religious leader who says he preaches love and not hate needs to be criticized,” Van Duyne told Fox News Digital in an interview. “That was nothing but love. That was corruption.”

“Is this what you really believe—that you’re going to take a senator who just died, and you’re going to condemn his soul to eternal ruin because you don’t agree with his politics?” he continued.

Graham, who served in Congress for decades, was a leading advocate of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza and the United States’ months-long conflict with Iran. He was also a fierce defender of Ukraine, Taiwan and those living under imperial powers.

Van Duyne said he is talking to leadership about putting his decision on the floor and hopes Democrats will support it.

“He needs to be criticized by those Democrats who called him to the floor of the House to preach,” said the Texas lawmaker. “I’d like to find some Democrats on the floor who don’t agree that this is the kind of action a religious leader should take.”

Suleiman was invited by former Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, to deliver the opening prayer in the House chamber in May 2019. He died in 2023.

The imam was asked to make the request despite a history of controversial speeches, including calling for a third Intifada — a speech widely interpreted as calling for violence against Israel and Jews — and saying Zionists are “enemies of God,” the Jerusalem Post reported.

“It’s people’s hatred” that fueled Suleiman’s comments celebrating Graham’s death, Van Duyne told Fox News Digital. “I thought it was very important to highlight that.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham is confused before President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address during a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, DC, on Feb. 24, 2026. (Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images)

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The ruling says Suleiman “protected convicted terrorists” and traveled to Turkey to support members of the Muslim Brotherhood, who are banned from traveling to the United States.

Suleiman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Texas imam was not alone in celebrating Graham’s death. Van Duyne objected to the vitriol of some progressive commentators and left-wing activists indicating a wider moral decline.

“The words are getting more and more hateful,” the Texas Republican told Fox News Digital. “The call to violence is becoming more dangerous.”

“It’s completely beyond imagination,” he continued. “And to have a religious leader participating in that, calling for that, is very bad. And yes, we should be condemning it.”

His estimate also highlights the “incompatibility” of Sharia law with constitutional principles and American life.

Van Duyne, who served as mayor of Irving, Texas, before winning election to Congress in 2020, has long warned about the spread of radical Islam and efforts to promote Sharia law in the Lone Star State.

Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, speaks during a news conference at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“There are Republican leaders in Congress who are speaking out against it. Eleven years ago, I felt like I was alone,” Van Duyne told Fox News Digital. “They’re in our area, and they’re in cities across the country, and I think what you’re seeing is elected representatives who are against it.”

The decision also honors Graham, who he said supported him during his run for Congress and appeared with him at other fundraisers.

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If he didn’t agree with someone, he told them,” said Van Duyne. “But it wasn’t in a hateful, hateful way, and I think we lost the soul of the debate. We have lost the soul of real compromise in this country.”