American Islamophobia opens with its author, Khaled A. Beydoun, coming to a tragic realization: Converting to Islam is a dangerous proposition for anyone living in the United States.
While visiting Los Angeles, Beydoun learns that his Uber driver, an undocumented immigrant, is considering converting to Islam. He agonizes over what to say to the man, who admires his activism and work as an associate professor of law at the University of Detroit Mercy.