Texas Governor Abbott Labels CAIR and Muslim Brotherhood ‘Foreign Terrorist Organizations’
November 19, 2025 – Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced on November 18, 2025, that he is designating the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim Brotherhood as “foreign terrorist organizations” and transnational criminal organizations. Under a newly enacted state law (Senate Bill 17), the move bans both groups from buying or acquiring real estate in Texas.
Abbott said the organizations pose a threat to the state, accusing them of trying “to forcibly impose Sharia law and establish Islam’s ‘mastership of the world.’” He directed the Texas attorney general to investigate any property transactions tied to the groups and, if necessary, pursue court orders to force divestment or impose civil penalties as high as 50 percent of a property’s market value.
The proclamation cites long-standing concerns about national security. Abbott points to documented links between former CAIR figures and the now-defunct Holy Land Foundation — a charity that was prosecuted and convicted for financing Hamas.
CAIR strongly rejected the designation, calling it a “publicity stunt” rooted in conspiracy theories and anti-Muslim bias. The group threatened legal action, insisting the move has no basis in U.S. law.
Critics also note that federal law, not state law, typically governs the formal designation of foreign terrorist organizations. Under U.S. law, only the Secretary of State can make that call — and neither CAIR nor the Muslim Brotherhood is currently listed on the U.S. State Department’s official list of terrorist organizations.
This action from Abbott comes amid increased scrutiny of Muslim-led initiatives in Texas. Among the flashpoints is a planned community near Dallas, formerly called EPIC City (now rebranded as The Meadow), which some state officials have criticized as an attempt to create an Islamic enclave.
As legal challenges loom and activists raise serious First Amendment concerns, the move by Abbott is shaping up to be a highly contested battle over property rights, religious freedom, and state-level power.
