Texas Governor Abbott Designates Muslim Brotherhood, CAIR as Terrorist and Criminal Organizations
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has formally designated the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations under state law, a move that immediately restricts their activities and bans them from purchasing or acquiring land in Texas.
The announcement, issued through an executive proclamation, also authorizes the Texas Attorney General to initiate legal action aimed at shutting down the organizations’ operations within the state.
In the proclamation, Abbott cited a series of allegations linking the Muslim Brotherhood to extremist activities across multiple countries, including support for Hamas—already designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. Department of State. He also referenced statements attributed to Muslim Brotherhood leadership and legal provisions within Texas law that allow the governor to classify foreign entities as terrorist organizations and restrict their property rights.
The document further outlined past criminal cases involving individuals who participated in CAIR-related events, including Abdulrahman Alamoudi—sentenced to 23 years for funding al-Qaeda—and Randall Todd Royer, indicted alongside others for allegedly training with weapons and explosives to fight U.S. troops abroad.
Abbott’s action draws on various Texas statutes defining foreign terrorist organizations, public nuisances, and criminal associations, as well as a state property code that empowers the governor to prohibit land acquisition by such entities.
The proclamation was signed in Austin and affixed with the official Seal of the State of Texas, marking the order as effective immediately as of August 30, 2023.
Governor Abbott’s designation is expected to spark significant legal and political debate, particularly as CAIR operates nationally as a civil rights and advocacy organization and has previously rejected any allegations of terrorist affiliation.
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