Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital that violent riots across France serve as a warning for the United States, attributing the unrest to long-term mass migration policies. Self, who chairs the Subcommittee on Europe in the House Foreign Affairs Committee, stated that the U.S. is watching the future of America in France and the United Kingdom. He argued that France has been allowing these consequences to develop for years and is now reaping what it has sowed.
Self is a co-founder of the Sharia-Free America Caucus alongside Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas. Democrats and groups such as the U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations have criticized the caucus as Islamophobic. Self maintained his position, suggesting that France's growing Muslim population contributes to the current instability. He cited a figure of 7% for the Muslim population in France, noting that their concentration in large cities creates a tipping point. According to France's National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies, Islam is the second-most popular religion in metropolitan France among people aged 18 to 59 after Catholicism.
The comments follow multiple days of violent protests in France involving looted stores and burned buildings. French authorities reported that more than 500,000 people took to the streets across various cities this weekend. Nationwide, 1,800 people were arrested, with over 800 of those arrests occurring in Paris. France's secular centrist government blamed far-left groups for exacerbating tensions over high living costs and expensive education.
Self described the situation in France as an open civil war and suggested the military should intervene. He expressed pessimism that French forces would act, stating that if they do not, the country risks losing its culture in large cities. When asked if President Emmanuel Macron should step down, Self said it would probably be beneficial for France but noted that decision rests with Macron.
Despite his criticism, Self argued that the turmoil should not damage the U.S.-France relationship. He proposed that the United States offer assistance with intelligence gathering, specifically facial identification technology, to help manage the protests. Self clarified that he did not mean sending American personnel on the ground. He emphasized that France remains an important ally and partner, adding that this is not the time to abandon the country despite President Donald Trump's previous attempts to get France to step up.
Images from the unrest showed some protesters carrying Algerian, Palestinian and Moroccan flags, which figures on the right have linked to immigration policies. The Louvre Museum in Paris announced it would be closed for the time being due to the protests.