The Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations are “foreign terrorist organizations” and are banned from owning property in Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott declared in a Nov. 18 proclamation.
“The Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR have long made their goals clear: to forcibly impose Sharia law and establish Islam’s ‘mastership of the world,’” Abbott said. “The actions taken by the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR to support terrorism across the globe and subvert our laws through violence, intimidation and harassment are unacceptable.”
Abbott also accused CAIR of being the U.S. successor of the Brotherhood and of being a front for the Palestinian group Hamas, which the proclamation claims is trying to “regenerate itself” in the U.S.
This came just days after Abbott also threatened — without authority — to impose a 100% tariff on anyone moving to Texas from New York City, in light of the city electing a Muslim mayor.
CAIR, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights advocacy group, countered that Abbott’s latest proclamation “has no basis in law or fact,” that he lacks the authority to make such unilateral designations, and that it was issued in retaliation for U.S. Muslim criticism of Israel military actions in Palestine.
Robert McCaw
The organization’s mission is to promote justice, protect civil rights and improve public understanding of Islam, and it has consistently stood up to bigotry, racism, Islamophobia, antisemitism and anti-Palestinian discrimination,” said Robert McCaw, director of governmental affairs, in a letter to the governor.
“Despite these facts, anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian extremists have spent years falsely smearing CAIR and other American Muslim institutions as terrorists,” McCaw explained. “The truth is that CAIR is an independent American nonprofit organization that operates in full compliance with federal, state and local laws. CAIR is not — and has never been — a member, chapter, offshoot or affiliate of any foreign organization.”
Abbott’s proclamation follows the recent passage of a bill banning faith-based residential property developments such as EPIC City, a proposed 400-acre, Muslim-led project in suburban Dallas.
“The fact is, religious freedom is a central part of the Texas Constitution,” Abbott said during the signing of House Bill 4211. “But bad actors like EPIC and EPIC City tried to use religion as a form of segregation. We will ensure that we have the laws and law enforcement in place to prevent attempts to build such discriminatory compounds in the state of Texas.”
Abbott’s opposition to EPIC City and his labeling of Muslim organizations as terrorist are just the latest examples of his and other extremists’ efforts to vilify Muslims, McCaw added.
“By defaming another prominent American Muslim institution with debunked conspiracy theories and made-up quotes, you have once again shown that your top priority is advancing anti-Muslim bigotry, not serving the people of Texas.”
“You have once again shown that your top priority is advancing anti-Muslim bigotry, not serving the people of Texas.”
While CAIR is an American organization founded in 1994, the Muslim Brotherhood is an international group founded in Egypt. In August, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said similar federal action is “in the works” but added it may not stand up to legal scrutiny.
Allen West, chairman of the Dallas County Republican Party, lauded Abbott for taking a stand against Muslim groups, CBS News reported. “I think what the governor has realized is that this is all tied together. I think the governor is taking a proactive stance in making sure he cuts that tie of resourcing and support.”
But Democratic State Rep. Ron Reynolds blasted the proclamation as a “discriminatory, dangerous” attack on Muslim families whose contributions actually make Texas stronger.
“This feels like Jim Crow all over again. When a government uses its power to isolate a religious community, to restrict property rights and to sow fear among innocent people, we are repeating one of the darkest chapters in American history.”
CAIR said it will not be deterred from its mission of protecting civil rights despite Abbott’s “obsession with Texas Muslims and his dedication to protecting the Israeli government from criticism.”
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