Austin, Texas – Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Tuesday designated the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as “foreign terrorist organizations” and “transnational criminal organizations.” This gives the state broad legal authority to restrict their activities.
Austin, Texas – Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Tuesday designated the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as “foreign terrorist organizations” and “transnational criminal organizations.” This gives the state broad legal authority to restrict their activities.
Governor Abbott’s justification: In his official statement, Governor Abbott cited Texas penal and property laws. These laws grant the governor the authority to designate organizations that threaten state security.
Abbott accused the Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt in 1928 and with international branches including Hamas, of “engaging in terrorism or attempting to destabilize countries.” He described CARE as its “backyard organization.”
In response to the classification, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the largest civil rights and advocacy organization for Muslims in the United States, quickly issued a statement in response to the decision.
CAIR, founded in 1994, denied any direct ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. It affirmed that it is a “civil rights organization, an independent voice that responds to and relies on the support of the American people.” It emphasized that it “opposes all forms of unjust violence, including terrorism.”
It is worth noting that the U.S. federal government has not designated either organization as a terrorist organization. This move is part of Abbott’s hardline policy toward foreign entities within the state. It follows his signing of bills restricting the development of Islamic centers and imposing land ownership restrictions. He also previously designated the Venezuelan group Tren de Aragua as a terrorist organization in 2024.
