A Senate counterterrorism expert testified on Friday, August 7th, 2026, that Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed’s candidacy raises homeland security concerns due to family connections to Muslim Brotherhood-linked groups and associations with a Midwest voter-engagement organization tied to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

During a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on Muslim Brotherhood threats in the U.S., which was boycotted by all Democrats on the panel, Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) questioned Center for Security Policy counterterrorism analyst Kyle Shideler about El-Sayed’s bid.

"Yessir, it does," Shideler responded, explaining that El-Sayed’s father-in-law, nephrologist Jukaku Tayeb, allegedly has connections to Muslim Brotherhood-linked groups. Shideler noted Tayeb was once president of CAIR-Michigan and served on the Islamic Society of North America Founders Committee, a group for those deeply devoted to ISNA and significant funders.

Shideler also pointed to El-Sayed’s ties to Emgage, a Muslim voter-engagement and candidate recruitment organization with close links to CAIR. The official bio of Emgage founding member and attorney Khurrum Wahid states the group "works to empower emerging majority communities, with a focus on Muslim Americans, to participate more in public and community and public service." Shideler added that Emgage was created by a former CAIR member who was once on a terror watchlist and served as a consultant to convicted terrorist Sami al-Arian.

Senator Cruz further pressed Shideler on the "Red-Green Alliance," highlighting geopolitical ties between major Islam and the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

El-Sayed has faced criticism for associations with controversial figures such as far-left streamer Hasan Piker, who claimed the U.S. deserved the September 11, 2001, terror attacks. Additionally, El-Sayed notably declined to comment on the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, citing respect for mourning neighbors in heavily Muslim Dearborn.

A Fox News Digital review found that El-Sayed, who has made removing "money out of politics" a central campaign theme, has accepted donations from at least 41 individuals, including Tayeb, who have ties to CAIR in various forms.

Sources