Texas Rep. Keith Self is moving to shut down the practice of cousin marriage nationwide by cutting off federal benefits to any union between first cousins or closer relatives, a move he argues defends American values against practices permitted under Sharia.
According to Gateway Pundit, the Texas Republican has introduced the Consanguineous Marriage Prohibition Act, a bill that directly confronts a practice still legal in 18 states and the District of Columbia. The legislation would not alter state marriage statutes, but it would bar such unions from qualifying for federal benefits, including Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and federal employee life and health insurance programs.
Rep. Self unveiled the proposal in a post on X, framing the issue as a clash between Western norms and imported customs. Cousin marriagewhich is permitted under Shariais fundamentally incompatible with American culture and values, he wrote, adding, It should not be allowed anywhere in our country. Ive introduced the bill to ban it nationwide.
In comments to the Daily Signal, Self underscored that his legislation is rooted in a broader expectation that newcomers and minority communities embrace the nations longstanding social standards. The expectation of assimilation into Western values includes accepting Americas cultural marriage standards, Self asserted, repeating that The expectation of assimilation into Western values includes accepting Americas cultural marriage standards.
A member of the House Freedom Caucus, Self is also grounding his effort in public-health concerns that have long been downplayed by progressive multicultural advocates. He pointed to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data indicating that children of first-cousin marriages experience twice the rate of birth defects, with stillbirths and infant deaths rising by 50%, along with elevated risks of learning disabilities, chronic health problems, and shortened life expectancy.
The congressman stressed that cousin marriage is not a fringe phenomenon but a deeply embedded practice in certain ethnic and cultural communities, where rates can reach 40% and where it is explicitly sanctioned under Sharia law. Self continued, The vast majority of states have already banned this third-world practice. Its time for Congress to finish the job and enact a nationwide prohibition.
Selfs initiative also lands amid renewed scrutiny of alleged abuse of Americas immigration and marriage systems by politically connected figures on the left. The Daily Signal reports that his proposal follows long-standing allegations that Rep. Ilhan Omar, DMinn., married her cousin to secure immigration benefits and entry into the United States, accusations she has rejected as a ridiculous lie.
In January, Rep. Nancy Mace, RS.C., subpoenaed Omar and her alleged brother-husband as part of an inquiry into whether Omar engaged in immigration fraud or violated federal law. If these allegations are true, they raise grave concerns involving potential marriage fraud, immigration fraud, and violations of federal and state law, Mace said at the time, adding, No one, no matter how politically protected, should be above the law.
Omar did not respond to The Daily Signals request for comment, leaving key questions about her past unanswered even as President Trumps second administration and conservative lawmakers press to restore clear moral and legal boundaries. With Selfs bill, House Republicans are signaling that defending traditional marriage norms, protecting childrens health, and insisting on genuine assimilation remain central to the nations cultural and constitutional integrity.
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