Two Texas chapters for the Center on American-Islamic Relations sued Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton in federal court Thursday after the governor designated the group a foreign terrorist organization and banned it from owning land in Texas.
The suit, filed in the federal Western District by CAIR Texas chapters in Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin, comes two days after Abbott made the designation against both CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood. The governor pointed to a new law approved by the Texas Legislature earlier this year allowing him to declare a country or group in Texas a foreign terrorist organization solely for the purpose of preventing them from owning properties.
Thursday's suit comes just hours after Abbott directed the Texas Department of Safety to investigate CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood for alleged criminal activities.
Abbott also claimed CAIR has “repeatedly employed, affiliated with, and supported individuals promoting terrorism-related activities.”
CAIR, one of the largest Muslim civil rights groups in America, was established with a stated goal to challenge stereotypes about the Islamic faith. Most of its work focuses on civil rights and anti-defamation.
Abbott has repeatedly called CAIR a "front group" for Hamas and a direct subsidiary of the Muslim Brotherhood.
"CAIR-Texas and the Texas Muslim community are standing up for our constitutional rights by directly confronting Greg Abbott's lawless attack on our civil rights," a CAIR spokesperson wrote in a statement Thursday. "We are not and will not be intimidated by smear campaigns launched by Israel First politicians like Mr. Abbott. Mr. Abbott is defaming us and other American Muslims because we are effective advocates for justice here and abroad."
Among several things, the suit claims Abbott violated the group’s First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and association. The suit also alleges Abbott designated the group a terrorist organization without due process, violating its Fourteenth Amendment rights. And, it claims Paxton violated the federal constitution after Abbott directed him to ban CAIR and its members from owning land.
“This attempt to punish the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization simply because Governor Abbott disagrees with its views is not only contrary to the United States Constitution, but finds no support in any Texas law,” the suit reads.
KERA News reached out to Abbott and Paxton's offices for comment and will update this story with any response.
On X this week, Abbott responded to news that CAIR was threatening to sue over his designation.
"The lawsuits will open the doors to all of their financial transactions and funding," Abbott wrote. "To all of their dealings and misdeeds."
Mustafaa Carroll, executive director of CAIR-DFW, told KERA News Thursday Abbott's claims about Islam are misleading, including his claims about Sharia law.
Sharia is a broad term that refers to teachings and traditions of the Islamic faith.
"This is his latest attempt to shred the First Amendment by punishing Texans critical of his lawless behavior," Carroll said. "And we look forward to seeing Mr. Abbott in court."
This is a developing story and will be updated.
