CAIR Sues Texas Governor Greg Abbott Over “False” Terrorist Designation:

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has filed a federal lawsuit against Texas Governor Greg Abbott after he declared the organisation’s Texas chapter a “foreign terrorist organisation”—a move CAIR says is not only baseless but unconstitutional. The lawsuit, also naming Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton as a defendant, seeks to block what CAIR calls an “unlawful and defamatory” designation. CAIR argues that Abbott’s unilateral action violates the First Amendment by criminalising dissent and targeting a civil rights organisation without evidence or due process. In a statement announcing the legal action, CAIR General Counsel Lena Masri said the organisation has defeated Abbott in court multiple times over the years, particularly when he attempted to punish critics of the Israeli government. “The lawsuit we have filed today is our first step towards defeating Governor Abbott again so that our nation protects free speech and due process for all Americans,” Masri said. She added that if a governor can arbitrarily label any civil rights group as a terrorist entity, it sets a dangerous precedent. “No civil rights organisations are safe if a governor can baselessly and unilaterally declare any of them terrorist groups, ban them from buying land, and threaten them with closure.” Founded in 1994, CAIR is the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organisation in the United States, with chapters in most states. It has been an outspoken critic of U.S. political support for Israel’s ongoing military assault on Gaza, which it describes as genocidal. The group has also been vocal in defending civil liberties as tensions surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict have intensified nationwide. Governor Abbott, a Republican and strong supporter of Israel, has repeatedly targeted pro-Palestinian advocates in Texas. He has been especially critical of student demonstrators on university campuses who have protested the war in Gaza. In April 2024, he declared that pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of Texas at Austin “belong in jail”, prompting CAIR to accuse him of violating the First Amendment. “The First Amendment applies to the State of Texas, whether Greg Abbott likes it or not,” CAIR said at the time. Abbott escalated his rhetoric this week, announcing on X (formerly Twitter) that he was designating CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as “foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organisations.” Under his order, both groups are banned from buying or acquiring land in Texas, and the state is authorised to pursue legal action aimed at shutting down their activities. Legal experts and civil liberties advocates have warned that Abbott’s actions exceed his constitutional authority, noting that federal law—not state governments—determines which organisations are classified as foreign terrorist entities. Critics argue that the governor’s move is politically motivated and part of a broader campaign to suppress pro-Palestinian activism. Democrats and national civil rights groups quickly condemned the designation. U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar called Abbott a “bigot” who has “no place in elected office,” adding that the governor’s rhetoric contributes to the “normalisation of anti-Muslim hate speech.” The Texas Democratic Party also criticised the move, describing the designation as “dangerous, racist, and Islamophobic.” In a statement, the party accused Abbott and Texas Republicans of selectively weaponising constitutional values. “While Greg Abbott and the Republicans claim to follow the Constitution, they would trample on someone’s First Amendment rights when they don’t agree with or worship with them,” the statement said. As the legal battle begins, CAIR says it intends to challenge not only the designation itself but the broader effort by Texas officials to silence political dissent. The organisation maintains that the governor’s actions threaten the civil rights of all Texans—and could set a precedent with national implications.

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