Texas GOP Senate candidates escalated pressure on the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District this week, publicly calling out the Houston-area district over its handling of a proposed youth sporting event known as the “Islamic Games,” which state leaders have alleged had ties to a group Texas has designated a terrorist organization.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Rep. Wesley Hunt, and Sen. John Cornyn have escalated criticism of Cy-Fair Independent School District following Gov. Greg Abbott’s demand that the district halt ties to the proposed Islamic Games, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Paxton and Hunt, who are challenging Cornyn in the Republican Senate primary, said in statements to The Dallas Express that no Texas school should be involved with the event.
“Absolutely no school should be hosting ‘Islamic Games’ and associating itself with individuals with documented ties to Islamic extremists. It’s unconscionable for an educational institution in Texas to be hosting any event or having any partnership with the radical group CAIR, which is a designated terrorist organization,” Paxton said in an email to The Dallas Express. “I will continue to do everything in my power to stop the infiltration of radical Islamist terrorist groups, including continuing to aggressively defend the lawful declaration that CAIR is a foreign terrorist organization.”
In a separate statement texted to The Dallas Express, Hunt said the facts surrounding the proposed event remained unclear.
“As a combat veteran who served in the Middle East, I understand firsthand the threat posed by foreign terrorist organizations and the importance of ensuring they never gain a foothold in our country,” the congressman said. “At present, it remains unclear whether those involved in the proposed ‘Islamic Games’ have any affiliation with such organizations or whether all statutory prohibitions and safeguards have been fully satisfied. Clarifying that distinction is essential.”
Cornyn commented on a social media post dated January 20, the day before Abbott’s letter was made public:
A state-designated terrorist organization like CAIR should not be allowed to sponsor an event at a taxpayer-funded location. Full stop. https://t.co/RUaCbDYgaC
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) January 20, 2026
Hunt followed with a formal letter to Cy-Fair ISD Superintendent Dr. Douglas Killian, dated January 21, requesting clarification about whether any facilities had been approved for the Islamic Games and what vetting procedures were used to ensure compliance with Texas Government Code § 2252.152, which restricts contracts with entities identified as foreign terrorist organizations.
Cy-Fair ISD’s press team did not immediately respond to the request for comment regarding Hunt’s letter.
Abbott’s January 21 letter to district leaders demanded termination of any negotiations tied to the event and ordered Cy-Fair ISD to preserve records related to the Islamic Games, warning that the Texas Education Agency could seize communications and refer findings to Paxton for legal action if the district did not comply. The governor cited his 2025 designation of CAIR as a foreign terrorist organization.
The Islamic Games organization and CAIR have disputed Abbott’s characterization.
Organizers have said CAIR-New Jersey was never a formal sponsor and that its only involvement was a one-time, in-kind donation of drawstring bags at a New Jersey event in 2023, before Abbott’s 2025 designation, according to Houston Public Media.
CAIR accused Abbott of targeting Muslim children for political purposes, saying in a social media post that “children should be off-limits in political games,” and calling the governor’s declaration “lawless” in a Facebook post on January 21.
A Cy-Fair ISD press release said district facilities were not “hosting” the Islamic Games and described the situation as a facilities-use matter governed by district policy that allows limited community use when it does not conflict with school operations. The presser said school officials had never contracted with CAIR-New Jersey and emphasized that public facilities must be made available without discrimination.
The event follows Grapevine-Colleyville ISD officials halting contract negotiations for a nationally organized “Islamic Games” event at Colleyville Heritage High School, The Dallas Express reported.
