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Newt Gingrich Wants to Deport Every Muslim Who Believes in Sharia Law

He has an insane plan to "test" all the Muslims in the United States following Thursday's attack in Nice.
​ Photo via Flickr user Gage Skidmore.

Sure, everybody knows that Newt Gingrich—conservative politician and former Republican House speaker—is full of batshit ideas like proposed moon colonies and likening himself and Donald Trump to "pirates." But even in that context, Gingrich's latest proposal is a little shocking: In an interview on Fox News, he suggested that the American government should quiz every Muslim in the country and deport all of the ones who believe in Sharia law.

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Gingrich was talking to Sean Hannity Thursday following the horrific attack in Nice, France, where a truck driver plowed through a crowd of innocent bystanders at a Bastile Day celebration, killing at least 84. US and international politicians have already linked the attack to terrorism, though official details surrounding the killer's motive are still emerging.

Gingrich told Hannity that he thinks the US should "test every person here who is of a Muslim background, and if they believe in Sharia, they should be deported."

He wasn't clear on how the so-called test would work, but the idea certainly sounds unconstitutional. Almost all practicing Muslims believe in Sharia, though the Islamic religious code of behavior is often confused with extremism, and deporting lawful residents and citizens is a step beyond even Trump's proposal to stop Muslim immigration.

Gingrich then doubled down on attacking the First Amendment, proposing that anyone who even looks at or goes to a pro-ISIS or al Qaeda website "should go to jail."

Read: Everything We Know So Far About the Attack in Nice Thursday