The State of Texas has filed a civil lawsuit seeking to permanently shut down operations linked to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim Brotherhood, escalating recent actions taken by state leaders against the organizations.
Filed February 5 in Collin County district court, the lawsuit asks a judge to issue temporary and permanent injunctions prohibiting the Muslim Brotherhood and multiple CAIR-affiliated entities from operating anywhere in Texas. The State alleges the groups function as foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations under Texas law.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Governor Greg Abbott formally designated CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations in November 2025, barring them from purchasing or acquiring land in Texas and authorizing Attorney General Ken Paxton to pursue enforcement action.
State Alleges CAIR Serves as U.S. Front for Muslim Brotherhood
In the lawsuit, Texas alleges CAIR was created in the early 1990s as the American affiliate of the Muslim Brotherhood, a transnational Islamist organization the state has designated a foreign terrorist organization.
According to the filing, CAIR was founded following a 1993 meeting of Hamas operatives in Philadelphia, during which participants allegedly discussed creating a “front” organization to support Hamas while avoiding law enforcement scrutiny. The State claims wiretap transcripts from that meeting were later introduced during federal prosecutions and that CAIR’s founders attended the gathering.
The lawsuit further alleges CAIR’s organizational structure has remained intact despite past terrorism convictions involving individuals associated with its Texas chapter.
Holy Land Foundation Case Cited
The lawsuit relies heavily on findings from the Holy Land Foundation terrorism financing case, the largest terrorism financing prosecution in U.S. history.
Ghassan Elashi, identified by the State as a founding board member of CAIR’s Texas chapter, was convicted in 2008 of funneling more than $12 million to Hamas and sentenced to 65 years in federal prison. Federal prosecutors in that case listed CAIR as an unindicted co-conspirator, and a federal judge later found there was “ample evidence” of CAIR’s associations with Hamas, according to the filing.
The State also cites testimony from FBI officials stating the Bureau suspended formal relations with CAIR following the trial due to concerns about its ties to Hamas-linked networks.
Abbott Proclamation and Federal Actions Referenced
The lawsuit references Abbott’s November 18, 2025 proclamation designating CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as both Foreign Terrorist Organizations under Texas Penal Code and Transnational Criminal Organizations under Texas property law.
It also cites subsequent federal actions, including a November 2025 executive order signed by President Donald Trump initiating terrorist designations against Muslim Brotherhood branches overseas, followed by January 2026 designations by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and State Department against several Muslim Brotherhood chapters.
Injunctions and Relief Sought
Through the lawsuit, Texas is asking the court to:
- Declare the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations under Texas law
- Issue temporary and permanent injunctions barring the organizations and their affiliates from operating in Texas
- Prohibit fundraising, membership solicitation, and other organizational activities within the state
- Award attorney’s fees and costs to the State
The filing argues that CAIR and related entities constitute a public nuisance under Texas law due to alleged ongoing criminal and terror-related activities and seeks court-ordered abatement.
Part of Broader State Investigation
The lawsuit follows earlier investigative steps by Paxton’s office. As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the Attorney General demanded records from North Texas school districts in January as part of an investigation into CAIR’s involvement with the Islamic Games of North America and use of public school facilities.
CAIR has previously denied wrongdoing and described Abbott’s designation as defamatory. No court hearing date has been announced.
