The Texas A&M University System issued a cease-and-desist letter on May 8, 2026, demanding that an unauthorized North Texas entity stop using branding that closely resembles its protected trademarks.
Officials with The Texas A&M University System have formally objected to the unauthorized use of the Texas A&M University name and trademarks by a Muslim education entity in North Texas that is branding itself as “TexAM University.”
Full Press Release: https://t.co/1BQaE34uCD pic.twitter.com/gpCgH0PuHQ
— Texas A&M System (@tamusystem) May 8, 2026
The action follows Gov. Greg Abbott’s directive to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to order the same entity — operating as TexAM University or Texas American Muslim University at Dallas — to immediately halt advertising and enrolling students in degree programs without required state authorization, as covered by The Dallas Express.
The Texas A&M University System’s letter targets the entity’s use of “TexAM,” “Texas AM University,” and similar variations. Officials said the branding creates public confusion and has no affiliation with the A&M System.
“The Texas A&M University System has a responsibility to protect the name and trademarks, which represent more than a century of academic excellence, public trust and institutional integrity,” Chancellor Glenn Hegar said in a statement. “When another organization uses branding that is similar, particularly in the same educational space, we must act to prevent confusion and protect the value of those marks.”
In that May 7 article, The Dallas Express detailed how TexAM describes itself as “the first university in the United States to offer STEM degree programs embedded with mandatory courses in Islamic Studies.”
The school listed programs in artificial intelligence, computer science, cybersecurity, IT, and health informatics while advertising discounted tuition for international students, including a “Special Initiative for Pakistani Students.”
Its physical address is 1100 E. Campbell Road in Richardson, which is also associated with the Dallas Diyanet Mosque and the Islamic Seminary of America. The institution’s website did not list any accrediting body.
Texas law requires a Certificate of Authority from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) for private postsecondary institutions to operate or grant degrees under Chapter 61 of the Texas Education Code. Without it, institutions are prohibited from using terms such as “university” or from offering degree programs.
The Dallas Express reported May 8 that TexAM provided a written response to Abbott’s cease-and-desist, claiming it does not currently grant degrees, charge tuition, or require mandatory Islamic Studies courses.
Founder and Board Chairman Shahid A. Bajwa stated that the school operates on donations and would not offer degrees until it secures IRS 501(c)(3) status, THECB approval, and accreditation. However, The Dallas Express noted ongoing contradictions with the entity’s active website, which continued to advertise degrees, course fees, and mandatory Islamic Studies elements as of Friday morning.
Richardson Mayor Amir Omar had previously praised the proposed institution in a circulating video, offering to link it with local employers and joking about future campus space.
Rep. Gill commented on the situation with statements including “We are being conquered” and “They aren’t coming to assimilate. They’re coming to dominate,” as reported by The Dallas Express.
The THECB letter requires the entity to cease all advertising, enrollment, and use of protected terms. Noncompliance could result in a referral to the Texas Attorney General’s office for potential prosecution. The Texas A&M System emphasized that the entity has no recognized connection to its 12 universities or agencies.
As of May 8, the entity had not issued a public response to the Texas A&M trademark demand.
