American Sofia Ali Khan said - in an article published in Time magazine - that she was forced to immigrate and live in Canada after she and her family were convinced of the necessity to leave the United States following the escalation of harassment and violence against Muslims, especially after former President Donald Trump took office.

She added that after moving to Canada, she realized that she could celebrate Muslim religious holidays without any fear of being subjected to assaults or harassment, which she did not feel in her hometown in Pennsylvania, highlighting that there is a big difference between being a Muslim living in Canada and a Muslim living in the United States.

 
The writer explained that she and her family immigrated to Canada in 2017, a few months after Trump took office, after it became clear to her that Islamophobia had shifted from a personal stance to a hostile agenda sponsored by the regime, noting that this situation caused her to fear for the safety of her children.

Concerns
The writer reported the results of studies and opinion polls conducted by the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU), which specializes in the affairs of American Muslims, confirming fears of the growing phenomenon of anti-Muslim sentiment inside the United States.

According to those results, half of Muslim parents in 2020 reported having a child who was bullied because of their religion, and in two-thirds of the responded cases, the perpetrator was a teacher or an official.

In 2021, surveyed Muslims reported experiencing institutional discrimination at a higher level than other religious groups. In airports, for example, the percentage of Muslims who experienced discrimination reached 44% compared to 5% for ordinary people. As for employment, the rate of discrimination against Muslims is 33% compared to 8% for ordinary people.

The writer emphasized that anti-Muslim attitudes are "permanent" as happened with other ethnic groups, and warned that continuous threats and discrimination against Muslims have serious effects on mental health. She quoted a study published in 2021 in JAMA Psychiatry, stating that the likelihood of Muslims committing suicide is twice as high as Americans belonging to other religious groups.

An Ideal Country?
The writer explained that Canada is not ideal for Muslims; this country has witnessed - and still does - several anti-Muslim events, the most prominent of which was the killing of 6 people and injuring others during a shooting at a mosque in Quebec province in 2017.

Regarding other ethnic groups, the writer clarified that Canada is also not an ideal country, as studies indicate that Black people and Indigenous peoples still suffer from widespread discrimination in jobs, education, and social services.

However, the writer affirms that the fundamental difference between the United States and Canada is the latter's recognition of its colonial past internally and its official statements confirming its determination to respect the views and rights of Indigenous peoples and to end the colonial legacy present in internal laws and policies, unlike the United States.

The article concluded with the writer expressing her hope that the United States will take the same step as its northern neighbor and work on adopting a clear narrative of its history that ensures a bright future that accommodates everyone.