President Barack Hussein Obama began his first term in office with aggressive pronouncements of a change in the course of America’s relations with the Muslim wo r ld. One year into his presidency, Obama’s policies toward US Muslims appear to continue on the path set by his predecesso r . This is the prevailing perception among the immigrant-dominated Arab a nd Muslim community groups in the United States. While government agencies dealing with Muslims have not altered their behavio r under Obama, they are reflecting public concerns about Americanizing Muslim immigrants. The fo r ces shaping the wo r ldview of Muslim immigrants come fr om several sources. The rise of American economic a nd military power in the wo r ld since Wo r ld War II meant that many immigrants had been exposed to American ideas in their countries of o r igin. Also, many came fr om places that had been experiencing a religious revival a nd some had joined Islamic movements befo r e coming to the United States. Meanwhile, technological advancements in transpo r tation a nd communication made it easier fo r recent immigrants to remain connected with their countries of o r igin, but still continue to flock to the United States.

The Bush administration fell under the influence of neoconservatives who rode a wave of resurgent nationalism after 9/11. The Obama administration shifted toward the center of the American political spectrum. The seeming lack of change in domestic policies toward Muslims shows that the assimilation pressures that followed 9/11 are continuing. Yet community activists are in denial of the new reality, they have been accustomed to adapting slowly to American life. This paper will explo r e the growth of the Muslim community in the United States, the place of activist o r ganizations in the community, their responses to assimilation, a nd the prospects fo r community–government dynamics.