American Islamophobia opens with its author, Khaled A. Beydoun, coming to a tragic realization: Converting to Islam is a dangerous proposition for anyone living in the United States.
While visiting LA, Beydoun learns that his Uber driver, an undocumented immigrant, is considering converting to Islam. He agonizes over what to say to the man, who admires his activism and work as an associate professor of law at the University of Detroit Mercy.
Beydoun eventually says, “I ask you to think about whether now is the right time to become a Muslim. Your status already puts you in a difficult position, and falling victim to Islamophobia would put you in a more dangerous place.” The driver—already vulnerable to the Trump administration’s anti-immigration policies—risks becoming doubly maligned if he dares express interest in Islam. So, despite Beydoun’s devotion to his religion, he turns the other man away.