From Wylie, Texas, to Washington, D.C., high school student Marco Hunter-Lopez is making his mark in conservative political circles.
On Wednesday, the 16-year-old became an internet sensation for his congressional testimony during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Sharia-Free America.
U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R–Austin) invited Marco to testify on the topic of why political Islam and Sharia law are incompatible with the Constitution.
Roy and fellow Texan U.S. Rep. Keith Self (R–McKinney) founded the Sharia-Free America Caucus in December, which as of March 30 includes 60 members from 25 different states.
Marco’s testimony related to his experiences as a Wylie East High School student and how the Republican Student Club he founded last year was treated differently than every other club on campus—including the Muslim Student Association.
In February, the MSA hosted a World Hijab Day event on Marco’s campus, during school hours, with an outside group “Why Islam?” offering students copies of the Quran, pamphlets on “Understanding Shariah,” and hijabs.
Marco alerted the media—and the district—to the “unauthorized” event and related security breach of unapproved visitors allowed onto the campus.
Since then, Marco has been among many in the community demanding accountability from district officials for their apparent viewpoint discrimination favoring Islamic culture.
On Wednesday, Marco testified to the congressional committee, “The dangers of allowing Sharia to be promoted in public schools are real and immediate.”
“Sharia is not simply a personal religious observance,” he said. “It is a comprehensive legal and political system that includes unequal treatment, restrictions on free speech, harsh punishments, and fundamental incompatibility with the U.S. Constitution, Texas law, and American values of individual liberty and equality.”
“Handing out materials that present Sharia favorably to minors during the school day, without parental approval, risks normalizing ideas that undermine the very principles our public schools are supposed to uphold,” Marco testified.
This is not this is not neutral education. It is ideological promotion under the guise of diversity and inclusion. The contrast with my own club cannot be clear. While the Republican Student Club faced denial, censorship, post removal, and hostile oversight, an outside organization was given easy access to distribute Sharia-related materials directly to students. Administrators not only allowed it, they actively promote Islamic events. The principal has enthusiastically participated in World Hijab Day.
“What began as my effort to start a simple conservative club has revealed how quickly institutions can be compromised and captured when we remain silent,” Marco concluded.
Video of Marco’s testimony went viral on social media.
An X post of Marco holding his ground against a barrage of questions and interruptions by Democrat U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland quickly garnered more than a million views.
“We need more young leaders like Marco—may we all have the same courage and tenacity!” Self posted to X following Marco’s testimony.
“Hope this kid runs for office. He is smart & has the patience of a saint!” posted Rachel Campos Duffy, wife of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
In fact, Marco already has plans to one day run for Congress, as noted in a 2024 feature highlighting his work with Self’s office to obtain a new American flag for his school.
Marco said he feels called to politics. “I try to follow what God gives me. What he tells me to do is His will—not my will. Whether it’s through politics or not, I try to help people.”
Back home in Texas on Thursday, Marco appeared on Fox News‘ Will Cain Show then spoke at a True Texas Project event in Collin County, with his family there for support.
Marco recounted his experiences as a Wylie high school student leader and his testimony in Washington, D.C.
“I think that just really speaks volumes as to what the left tries to do to censor voices on the conservative side, especially students, because I think when they see us, they see a threat, because our values are built on a Christian heritage,” Marco told the group.
“This is a spiritual battle, and people really need to wake up to that,” he said. “Charlie Kirk always said, ‘You know, I’m not here for politics, I’m here for the gospel.’ He used politics as a vessel, he used it as a bridge, as a gateway to bring people to Christ.”
Marco encouraged more young people to get involved and speak out.
“People always say, oh, you’re young, can’t talk about it. And it goes back to the thing I said earlier: nobody can proclaim anything over you,” Marco explained.
“My favorite verse is 1 Timothy 4:12. It says don’t let people judge you based off your youth, but set an example with your truth, with your conduct, with your speech, with everything you do. And so that’s really the way that I try to live, especially as a young person.”
