Texas Governor's Controversial Terrorist Designation
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has sparked national controversy by declaring one of America's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy groups, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a 'foreign terrorist organisation' and a 'transnational criminal organisation'. This unprecedented move, announced on Thursday, 20 November 2025, also included the Muslim Brotherhood in its designation. Crucially, neither CAIR nor the Muslim Brotherhood are officially designated as foreign terrorist organisations by the US federal government, raising immediate questions about the governor's authority.
Legal Backlash and Accusations of Hysteria
The response from CAIR was swift and forceful. In a letter addressed directly to Governor Abbott, the group's government affairs director, Robert S. McCaw, stated the proclamation had no basis "in law or fact." The organisation accused the governor's office of deliberately stoking "anti-Muslim hysteria." McCaw's letter explicitly challenged the governor's power, writing, "You do not have the authority to unilaterally declare any Americans or American institutions terrorist groups, nor is there any basis to level this smear against our organization."
This confrontation is not an isolated incident. Months prior, Texas Republicans had moved aggressively to halt a Muslim-centred planned community development near Dallas, associated with the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC). Governor Abbott and other GOP officials launched investigations, claiming the group aimed to create an exclusive community that would impose Islamic law. Representatives for EPIC City called these assertions "misleading, dangerous and without merit." Earlier this year, the US Justice Department closed a federal civil rights investigation into the planned community without filing any charges or lawsuits, seemingly undermining the state's concerns.
Political Motivations and Wider Implications
Governor Abbott justified his proclamation by citing a state law he signed earlier in the year, which he claims prohibits "foreign adversaries" from purchasing or acquiring land. This designation would allow the state to attempt to shut down CAIR's operations and prevent it from acquiring property within Texas. The Republican author of that bill, state Representative Cole Hefner, praised the governor's declaration, posting on X, "Today proves exactly why that law was needed."
The move has placed a spotlight on the Muslim Brotherhood, established in Egypt nearly a century ago. While its leaders state it renounced violence decades ago and seeks to establish Islamic rule through peaceful means and elections, it is viewed as a threat by various autocratic governments across the Middle East. This declaration by the Texas governor sets a significant precedent, directly challenging federal authority on matters of national security and terrorist designations and deepening divisions on issues of religious freedom and civil liberties in the United States.
