Sanders brings a Muslim student to the stage at a rally in Virginia.

With an alarming increase in anti-Islamic sentiments in the U.S. over the last year, Muslim residents are looking at the potential presidential candidates based on which have spoken up for the community.

Many Muslim residents would agree it is a trying time for the community. 

While the religion’s image had already been tainted in the media over the last decade, Islamophobia didn’t reach its fever pitch until after it served as a main platform for candidates in the Republican Party.

Shortly after September 11, 2001, the Muslim community only faced some backlash from fellow Americans. Going into the presidential election of 2008, the community was looking to select a candidate who was focused on economic growth and ending the war on terror. 

Flash-forward eight years later, the community’s concerns have drastically shifted. Now, Muslim Americans fear for their safety. Some even question what liberties will be at stake, depending on the candidate who makes it to the White House.

On the Democratic front, both former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders have been outspoken about the Islamophobic rhetoric currently being driven by the Republican party. Shortly after Donald Trump’s proclamation that he would bar Muslims from entering the U.S., Clinton wrote an open letter to Muslim residents assuring them that Trump’s idea would never come to light.

Clinton went as far as to say that Trump is only a mascot for the Islamophobic rhetoric dominating his party, implying that other candidates share the same ideologies but are more strategic and silent about it.

“To Muslim Americans: What you’re hearing from Trump and other Republicans is absolutely, unequivocally wrong,” Clinton said. “It’s inconsistent with our values as a nation—a nation which you are helping to build. This is your country, too. I’m proud to be your fellow American. And many, many other Americans feel the same way.”

Sanders was also quick to condemn the racial profiling tone leading Trump’s talking points. While a Muslim woman at a Trump rally received national attention for getting booted out by his supporters, Sanders did just the opposite at a campaign gathering at George Mason University in Virginia. 

In front of 1,700 students, Sanders invited a Muslim woman to come up next to him on stage as she asked him to comment on the bigotry and racism seen in the Republican presidential campaign and in the media. 

Sanders talked about his father’s family being placed in concentration camps during World War II. He further condemned the hateful sentiments against Muslims and immigrants. 

“Our job is to build a nation in which we all stand together as one people,” Sanders said. “There is a lot of anger being generated, hatred being generated against Muslims in this country… There is hatred being generated against immigrants in this country; and if we stand for anything, we’ve got to stand together and end all forms of racism and I will lead that effort as president of the United States.”

It’s not just Trump

The majority of Muslim Americans will be voting for a Democratic candidate due to the simple notion that they are more accepting of immigrants and minority groups. 

While the entire country is already familiar with Trump’s stance with the Muslim community and other minority groups, many aren’t aware that other candidates aren’t too far off from his talking points. 

Texas Senator Ted Cruz has also gone on many anti-Muslim rants. One of Cruz’s major talking points n recent months has been his criticism of President Obama’s lack of condemnation against “the radicalization of Islam.” 

When Cruz was asked at a Republican debate about Trump’s stance of  a complete halt in allowing Muslims to enter the U.S., he seemed supportive of the idea. 

Cruz also slammed Obama’s speech following the San Bernardino attacks and criticized Clinton’s “pro-immigration stance.”

“We’re looking at a president who’s engaged in this double speak where he doesn’t call radical Islam and terrorism by [its] name,” Cruz said. “Indeed, he gives a speech after the San Bernardino attack where his approach is to try to go after the constitutional rights of law abiding citizens rather than to keep us safe. And even worse, President Obama and Hillary Clinton are proposing bringing in tens of thousands of Syrian refugees into this country when the head of the FBI has told Congress they cannot vet these refugees. I understand why Donald made that proposal.”

The other leading Republican candidate in the race, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, has also made frightening remarks against Islam. As 2015 drew to a close, attacks against everyday Muslims reached a fever pitch across across the country. Instead of condemning the behavior, Rubio questioned whether Islamophobia even existed. 

“Where is there widespread evidence that we have a problem in America with discrimination against Muslims?” Rubio said on a FOX News appearance.

Months later, he reiterated his stance after Obama made an appearance at a mosque.

“He gave a speech at a mosque,” Rubio said at a New Hampshire town hall. “Oh, you know, basically implying that America is discriminating against Muslims. Of course there’s going to be discrimination in America of every kind. But the bigger issue is radical Islam.”

For what it’s worth, Rubio did state that he would be interested in forming positive relationships with the Mulsim American community if he were president. The catch is, he would do it for the sole purpose of getting them to identify and report “radical Muslims.”