AUSTIN, Texas - The State of Texas has filed a lawsuit against the Muslim Brotherhood, and its American chapter, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), along with its state-affiliate chapters, to ban the recently designated terrorist organizations from operating in Texas.
In an effort to stop what state officials refer to as "violent ideology" from spreading across the state.
Lawsuit to ban CAIR and Muslim Brotherhood
What we know:
In a news release from the Texas Attorney General's Office, it states the organization "exists to usurp governmental power and establish dominion through sharia law."
The Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR are said to have violated a number of state laws, mostly related to them doing business in Texas while still being designated a terrorist organization.
The lawsuit seeks to end the operations in Texas, including prohibiting the organizations and their affiliates from owning property in the state or soliciting or recruiting members.
Terrorist designation and "sharia law"
What they're saying:
The release specifically mentions "Texas’s ban on any entity engaging in terrorism, Texas’s prohibition of transnational criminal organizations owning property, and public nuisance statutes barring radical groups from engaging in gang activities."
In a social media post announcing the lawsuit, Attorney General Ken Paxton stated, "Sharia law and the jihadists who follow sharia law have no business being in Texas."
CAIR response: Claims of political stunts
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 25: Zainab Chaudry (C) joins other supporters from The Council on American-Islamic Relations during a news conference outside the U.S. Supreme Court after the court heard oral arguments in EEOC v. Abercrombie & Fitc …
The other side:
In a statement, CAIR and CAIR-Texas said:
"Ken Paxton’s lawsuit is another frivolous, politically motivated anti-Muslim publicity stunt that wastes more taxpayer dollars. CAIR has already filed a federal lawsuit to block enforcement of Governor Abbott’s unconstitutional proclamation. We have also defeated Mr. Abbott’s attacks on Texas Muslims and the Constitution three different times in a row. We look forward to doing so again, God willing."
The statement continues to address the state's attempt to silence minority groups in Texas and the organization's plans going forward.
"Just as Mr. Paxton’s attempt to shut down a Latino voting rights group failed last week, his latest attempt to silence a minority group also appears doomed to fail. The people of Texas elected Mr. Paxton to serve them, not to silence them for daring to oppose Israel’s genocide in Gaza. CAIR-Texas plans to continue serving and protecting the people of Texas long after Ken Paxton leaves office."
"Further proof of the anti-Muslim bigotry…"
Dig deeper:
On the CAIR website, the organization also addressed Paxton's "sharia law" and "jihadists" comments from his social media post.
"In his announcement of his lawsuit on X, Paxton repeated debunked anti-Muslim conspiracy theories about American Muslims, "sharia law" and "jihadists," providing further proof of the anti-Muslim bigotry that has motivated his illegal actions."
In a social media post, the national CAIR organization referenced a recent federal juge ruling in a lawsuit involving Paxton and a Texas Latino voting group.
2025 terrorist organization designation
The backstory:
The Muslim Brotherhood was designated a radical terrorist organization by the State of Texas on November 18, 2025.
Shortly after, two Texas chapters of CAIR filed a federal lawsuit to block Texas Governor Greg Abbott's proclamation that labeled the civil rights organization a "foreign terrorist organization."
Texas Islamic groups call Abbott’s actions ‘unconstitutional’ in lawsuit over ‘terrorist’ designation
Two Texas affiliates of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton, seeking to block enforcement of an executive proclamation that labeled the civil rights organization a "foreign terrorist organization."
The Source: Information in this article was provided by the Texas Attorney General's Office. Additional information was provided by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) on their website.