In November, the governor issued a proclamation declaring CAIR, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy group, a terrorist group. “It’s about sowing suspicion.”
A press convention held by the Council on American–Islamic Relations.
(Omar Alsaray / CAIR)
The Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR) is the most important and most distinguished Muslim civil liberties group in the USA, based in 1994 to supply authorized help, monitor hate crimes, promote authorities relations with the Muslim group, and mobilize Muslim voters. For the previous few years, it has additionally been deeply concerned in scholar organizing and pro-Palestinian activism following Israel’s assault on Gaza.
When CAIR’s nationwide government director Nihad Awad made feedback within the days instantly following the October 7 assaults saying that he was “completely satisfied to see individuals breaking the siege” of Gaza and arguing that “the individuals of Gaza have the proper to self-defense,” the Biden administration publicly disavowed the group. In August, Senator Marco Rubio was requested in a phone interview about the potential of figuring out CAIR as a terrorist group alongside different teams just like the Muslim Brotherhood.
Since then, criticism of CAIR, particularly amongst Republicans in Texas, has solely intensified. On November 18, Governor Greg Abbott issued a proclamation declaring CAIR a “terrorist group.” The order branded the group as a “entrance” for Hamas and, amongst different sweeping restrictions, barred the group from buying land within the state.
Following Abbott’s declaration, the appearing state comptroller has tried to block sure personal colleges from collaborating within the state’s voucher program over their affiliation with CAIR. In December, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued an identical declaration in his personal state. That very same month, Abbott despatched a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent asking that he revoke CAIR’s tax-exempt nonprofit standing. The Division of the Treasury has not responded to Abbott’s request, although Abbott has equally directed Texas Legal professional Common Ken Paxton to launch an investigation towards CAIR to presumably take away its nonprofit standing, which has culminated in Paxton filing a lawsuit towards CAIR earlier this month to ban its operations inside Texas.
Governor Abbott’s proclamation represents a dramatic escalation of a a lot bigger pattern of Islamophobia inside Texas politics. Early final yr, Abbott and different distinguished Texas Republicans waged a public battle towards the East Plano Islamic Middle over its proposed growth—dubbed “EPIC Metropolis,” which would come with residential housing, a faith-based faculty, and group amenities. A lightning rod for conspiracy theories and anti-Muslim rhetoric throughout the state, the undertaking was repeatedly mischaracterized and focused with intense scrutiny by distinguished Texas Republicans like Abbott as an try to determine a “Sharia metropolis.” State investigations and authorized challenges over land use and governance quickly adopted.
For CAIR’s management, the performative proclamation holds actual implications for Muslims within the state. Edward Ahmed Mitchell, CAIR’s nationwide deputy director, mentioned the group had obtained no prior formal communication in regards to the designation. “That reveals you once more, it’s a publicity stunt. They didn’t demand any info from us. They didn’t ship us any discover,” Mitchell mentioned. “They simply went to the press, as a result of it’s actually about whipping up their base, whipping up anti-Muslim hysteria.”
Present Difficulty
Since 2023, CAIR has dealt with roughly 8,000 civil-rights complaints per yr—the very best on file—many tied to pro-Palestinian advocacy. Muslim households throughout Texas report rising concern of harassment, surveillance, and retaliation for exercising their First Modification rights. “They don’t need Muslims to be concerned in politics in any respect,” mentioned Mustafaa Carroll, the manager director of CAIR’s Dallas-Fort Price chapter. “And that’s why we encourage Muslims to take part. That is essentially the most American factor you are able to do.”
CAIR’s work, he emphasised, is indistinguishable from that of different civil rights organizations: defending constitutional rights, constructing interfaith coalitions, educating the general public, and supporting group members going through discrimination. “There’s nothing we’re doing that’s exterior the scope of what different civil rights teams are doing,” he mentioned.
State Consultant Salman Bhojani, one of many first Muslim lawmakers elected to the Texas Legislature in 2022, described a broader technique to marginalize Muslim civic life. “What’s unlucky is that CAIR is a civil rights group for the Muslim group,” he mentioned. “I’ve seen firsthand how they’ve helped Muslims who had been focused.” He recalled a current anti-Muslim hate crime in his personal district the place CAIR assisted the victims with the authorized course of. “Possibly the objective right here is to dismantle these foundational organizations so Muslims don’t have a voice in America.”
In response to Abbott’s proclamation, CAIR filed a lawsuit in federal courtroom claiming his transfer is unconstitutional on a number of grounds, from First Modification rights to due course of, and that it exceeds the facility of a governor. Mitchell emphatically denied the accusations of ties to terrorist teams specified by Abbott’s proclamation. The CAIR web site now has a “Dispelling Rumors” web page that fact-checks many of those claims.
“We now have condemned terrorism so usually that ISIS threatened to assassinate our chief. We’ve spoken out towards the Israeli authorities’s genocide and warfare crimes, however we’ve additionally been morally constant. We’ve spoken out towards Hamas assaults on Israeli residents, together with assaults on civilians on October 7,” mentioned Mitchell. “So in contrast to Ron DeSantis and Greg Abbott, who supported the Gaza genocide, CAIR has been morally constant.”
Mitchell pointed to CAIR’s litigation historical past with Abbott’s workplace, noting that the group has efficiently sued the governor 3 times in recent times over insurance policies proscribing pro-Palestinian advocacy and speech. “What Ron DeSantis of Florida and Greg Abbott of Texas did doesn’t shock us in any respect. These are each Israel-first politicians, anti-Muslim bigots, who’ve spent years attempting to silence Individuals vital of the Israeli authorities, particularly American Muslims. So after they tried to assault CAIR, it’s no shock,” Mitchell mentioned.
The transfer comes at an particularly charged second for the Muslim group, Mitchell famous, pointing to a “sharp and apparent rise” in anti-Muslim rhetoric and insurance policies which he says are linked to the rising civic and political engagement of American Muslims. “They’re lashing out, attempting to smear and silence American Muslims due to our help for Palestinian human rights. They usually can’t win the argument, they will’t persuade the American those who it’s good to fund a genocide,” mentioned Mitchell.
Mitchell emphasised that this backlash just isn’t restricted to Texas and Florida, however displays a nationwide effort to fabricate concern round Muslim political participation. “So as an alternative what they wish to do is scare the American individuals with a Muslim boogeyman.”
“Get the American individuals to concern EPIC’s community-led improvement, the Somali Individuals in Minnesota, CAIR in Texas, CAIR in Florida, Zohran Mamdani in New York. Someway this very liberal Democratic Socialist goes to impose Sharia legislation in New York. All that is nonsense, however the entire level is to whip up anti-Muslim hysteria.”
“We’re at all times anticipating assaults,” mentioned Carroll. For many years, he famous, Texas Republicans have revived Islamophobic laws as a mobilizing instrument. He pointed to the primary anti-Sharia invoice he encountered within the state legislature, launched in 2011 by former state consultant Leo Berman. Since then, variations of such laws have resurfaced each few years. “The group has been below extreme scrutiny ever since 9/11. It ebbs and flows with no matter’s taking place on the earth—and proper now, it’s Palestine and Gaza.”
However CAIR’s management has remained defiant. “We’re nonetheless open for enterprise, we’re doing the work the group expects us to do, even amid the challenges, threats, and difficulties that these orders create,” Mitchell mentioned. He described a “loud outcry” throughout Texas from civic leaders, religion teams, elected officers, and group organizations condemning Abbott’s actions as each illegal and bigoted.
However the stakes, he warned, prolong far past CAIR. If left unchallenged, the manager actions taken by Abbott and DeSantis may set up a harmful precedent, increasing gubernatorial authority in ways in which may threaten any advocacy group. “It’s necessary, not only for CAIR Texas and CAIR Florida, however for the sake of each American’s proper to prepare, that their efforts be defeated.”
A broad coalition has mobilized to rally behind CAIR, together with interfaith and spiritual teams, native officers throughout the state, advocacy teams just like the ACLU of Texas and the Texas Freedom Community, the Texas Democratic Social gathering, members of Congress—together with Representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib—and a bunch of Texas legislators led by Bhojani.
In style
“swipe left beneath to view extra authors”Swipe →
Shortly after the proclamation, Bhojani and different Democratic lawmakers despatched a proper letter warning that Abbott’s proclamation threatens constitutional rights and public security. “I wish to make sure that we don’t have any terrorist exercise in our state. I’m as invested on this nation as anybody else,” he mentioned. “However this isn’t about that. It’s about sowing suspicion.”
Reactions contained in the legislature have fallen largely alongside celebration strains, based on Bhojani, pointing to repeated assaults by Republican officers, together with former Tarrant County GOP chairman Bo French, who used inflammatory rhetoric about Muslims, CAIR, and Bhojani himself. “It’s actually ironic,” he mentioned, “that whereas we’re proscribing the freedoms of Muslims on this state, we mentioned the Ten Commandments must be displayed in all public colleges, that college students ought to have the proper to hope and examine the Bible at school.”
Ibrahim Islam, a senior on the College of Houston who has organized with CAIR within the weeks since Abbott’s proclamation, mentioned there have been some debates amongst scholar teams about whether or not they can affiliate with CAIR as a way to stop college students from being focused. However the dominant response has been defiance and solidarity, with individuals “defending and huddling up round CAIR.”
“The overall sentiment is that we have to stand robust with CAIR as a result of CAIR has stood robust and defended us consistently,” Islam mentioned. “There’s a reminiscence of the work CAIR has finished, and a belief as a result of CAIR has caught its neck out in essentially the most weak moments. For me, I keep in mind that to be the encampment. There was a CAIR individual standing proper there for us to ensure nothing went flawed.”
For Bhojani, the trail ahead lies not in retreat however in deeper civic engagement. “Even when it feels just like the least logical factor to do,” he mentioned, “we want extra participation now, not much less. The ability belongs to the individuals of Texas.”
As CAIR’s lawsuit towards Texas performs out in federal courtroom, each Mitchell and Carroll reaffirmed that the group was nonetheless dedicated to serving its mission of defending the Muslim group, which can rise to fulfill this second. “Nothing has modified by way of what we do,” Carroll mentioned. Finally, Mitchell applauded the “resilience and defiance” from the Muslim group, and reaffirmed CAIR’s dedication to its mission. “We’re a defend,” he mentioned. “And a defend is meant to take arrows.”
Extra from The Nation
Widespread unrest as crackdown intensifies, leaving 1000’s lifeless.
America ought to construct issues once more, and we the individuals ought to personal what we construct.
However Tom Homan is a mendacity liar, and the work’s not finished. Plus, Gallup’s sketchy new polling coverage (is the analytics agency within the Trump tank?), the legislation for deepfakes, and extra in th…
Even conservatives are fleeing the GOP as an increasing number of Individuals flip towards Trump’s authoritarian undertaking.
