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A member of the Muslim Brotherhood shouts slogans in front of riot police during a protest outside the Press Syndicate in Cairo, Egypt, on April 15, 2016. — Reuters
TEXAS: In a move that’s raising eyebrows and stirring controversy, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has officially labeled the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as “terrorist” and “transnational criminal organizations.” This proclamation effectively bans these groups and anyone linked to them from purchasing land within the state.
This announcement comes despite neither the Muslim Brotherhood nor CAIR being included on the U.S. government’s official list of designated terrorist organizations. CAIR, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights group, responded strongly, condemning Abbott’s decision as unfounded, unconstitutional, and a blatant display of Islamophobia.
The group accused the governor of exploiting conspiracy theories to target Muslim communities and warned that any attempt to turn this proclamation into policy would face legal challenges. Experts note that the governor’s decision can’t be viewed in isolation from the ongoing controversy surrounding EPIC City, a proposed Muslim-led residential development near Dallas.
Abbott and other Republican officials previously opposed the project, pushing legislation against so-called “Sharia compounds,” even though there’s no evidence suggesting that the development aimed to impose Islamic law or operate outside state regulations. Federal civil rights investigators also closed their inquiry into the project, choosing not to pursue charges.
Critics argue that tying CAIR to the Muslim Brotherhood revives an outdated narrative used to discredit Muslim community organizations and restrict their rights to organize or own property collectively. Republican State Representative Cole Hefner supported Abbott’s move, saying it was necessary “to keep the state safe.” On the other hand, Texas Muslim lawmaker Salman Bhojani criticized the proclamation as an attack on religious freedom. He emphasized that Muslim Texans deserve the same rights, dignity, and trust as everyone else and urged Abbott to rescind what he called a harmful and discriminatory declaration.
Civil rights advocates are worried that Abbott’s designation could set a precedent for more restrictions on Muslim civic life in Texas. Legal experts argue that only the federal government has the authority to classify groups as foreign terrorist organizations, raising significant constitutional questions about the governor’s unilateral action.
Muslim organizations and human rights groups view the proclamation as part of an escalating political effort to marginalize Muslims under the guise of national security—marking what they see as a troubling new chapter of Islamophobic policymaking in the United States.
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