Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a proclamation designating the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations, a move that immediately drew strong pushback from civil rights advocates. The order bars both groups, along with any affiliated individuals or entities, from purchasing or holding real property in the state.
Abbott argued that the organizations pose a threat to public safety and legal order. He asserted that both groups have “long made their goals clear: to forcibly impose Sharia law and establish Islam’s ‘mastership of the world.’” He also referenced foreign governments and U.S. terrorism cases involving individuals once linked to CAIR or the Muslim Brotherhood as part of the rationale behind the designation. The governor emphasized that “these radical extremists are not welcome in our state.”
CAIR, a national Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization founded in 1994, rejected the proclamation and questioned the governor’s authority to issue it. The group stressed that neither CAIR nor the Muslim Brotherhood has ever been designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. In a statement to Texas media outlets, CAIR characterized Abbott’s action as a political gesture “masquerading as a proclamation” and argued that his claims relied on “debunked conspiracy theories.” The organization remarked that it would pursue legal avenues if the order is implemented.
A CAIR spokesperson commented that the governor “does not have the authority to unilaterally declare any Americans or American institutions terrorist groups,” and stressed that the organization will continue its civil rights efforts in Texas as it readies its legal challenge. CAIR-Texas, in a separate statement, commented that the governor is targeting Muslim advocates because they remain “effective” in defending free speech and religious liberty.
The federal government currently lists neither group as a terrorist organization, citing the Muslim Brotherhood’s diffuse global structure and CAIR’s status as a domestic civil liberties nonprofit. Abbott’s proclamation represents a rare state-level effort to impose restrictions typically handled at the federal level, and legal experts anticipate challenges centered on constitutional rights and jurisdictional authority. The order takes immediate effect, though potential litigation from CAIR or other affected parties could shape how the policy is applied in the months ahead.
