FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas — Fort Bend County Precinct 3 Constable Ali Sheikhani is rejecting attacks over his Pakistani heritage and Muslim faith after conservative activists accused him of “Pakistanifying” law enforcement.
Amy Mekelburg, founder of the conservative activist group RAIR Foundation USA, targeted Sheikhani in a video posted on X this week, calling the Pakistani-American elected official an “Islamic Pakistani operative” and questioning how a Pakistani immigrant could run a Texas law enforcement agency.
Bo French, the Republican nominee for the Texas Railroad Commission, amplified the video and described it as “third worldery.”
Sheikhani, a Republican, defeated Democratic incumbent Constable Nabil Shike in November 2024 with just over 52% of the vote. He joined the Precinct 3 law enforcement agency in 2018, launched his campaign in 2023 and took office in January 2025.
Sheikhani said former Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls and former Precinct 4 Constable Trever Nehls influenced his decision to join the Republican Party.
“I always respected the ex-sheriff and ex-constable and things that Republicans valued like doing things by the book, respecting religions, color,” Sheikhani said.
He declined to directly engage with the criticism of his Pakistani heritage and Muslim faith.
“It’s unfortunate they felt the need to put that video out. It’s not actually accurate, but I maintain the respect for them, so I’m just not gonna say anything else,” Sheikhani said.
When asked about French’s “third worldery” remark, Sheikhani said, “He can say whatever he can say. It’s freedom of speech.”
The controversy comes amid broader disputes over Islam within the Texas Republican Party.
At the Republican Party of Texas convention in Houston in June, the “Don’t Sharia Our Texas” campaign became a prominent issue. Muslim Republican delegates and attendees also faced confrontations over their faith.
Sheikhani said Pakistani and Muslim Texans should continue following the law despite criticism questioning their place in the country.
“This is our country too,” he said. “Just do the right thing, do everything by the law and let people talk.”