November 18, 2025
1:47 pm
The Texas chapter and national headquarters of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today announced that it would carry on its civil rights work in Texas and vigorously defend its right to do so in response to Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s “defamatory and lawless” proclamation smearing the organization.
In its response to Abbott’s proclamation, CAIR’s legal team is preparing to take appropriate action to address it. CAIR has also sent a letter to Abbott debunking his claims and detailing the Muslim civil rights organization’s three-decade record of both defending civil rights and condemning all forms of unjust violence, including terrorism. The letter also cites numerous rulings and independent reports debunking efforts to smear CAIR or link it to any foreign entities.
CLICK HERE: LETTER TO GOV. ABBOTT
In a statement, CAIR-Texas said:
“CAIR-Texas and the Texas Muslim community are proud of record of standing up for free speech, religious freedom and justice for all. We are not and will not be intimidated by smear campaigns launched by Israel First politicians by Greg Abbott. Mr. Abbott is defaming us and other American Muslims because we are effective advocates for justice here and abroad. We plan to continue exercising our constitutional rights, defending civil rights, and speaking truth to power, whether in defense of free speech, religious freedom and racial equality here in Texas or in defense of human rights abroad.”
In a statement, CAIR National said:
“CAIR is an independent American civil rights organization that has spent 30 years protecting free speech, advancing religious freedom, and promoting justice for people here and abroad. We have consistently condemned all forms of unjust violence, including hate crimes, ethnic cleansing, genocide and terrorism. In fact, we condemn terrorism so often that ISIS once put a target on our national executive director.
“Greg Abbott is an Israel First politician who has spent months stoking anti-Muslim hysteria to smear American Muslims critical of the Israeli government. By defaming another prominent American Muslim institution with debunked conspiracy theories and made-up quotes, Mr. Abbott has once again shown that his top priority is advancing anti-Muslim bigotry, not serving the people of Texas. His latest publicity stunt has no basis in fact or law, nor can it stop our civil rights work.
“Unlike Mr. Abbott, who unleashed violence against Texas students protesting the Gaza genocide to satisfy his AIPAC donors, our civil rights organization answers to the American people, relies on support from the American people, and stands up for American values.
“We have successfully sued Greg Abbott threedifferenttimes for shredding the First Amendment for the benefit of the Israeli government, and we are ready to do so again if he attempts to turn this publicity stunt into actual policy.”
CAIR noted that this is not the first time Greg Abbott has tried and failed to use state law to smear Muslim nonprofit organizations in the statement.
SEE:DOJ ends investigation into Muslim-centered EPIC City project in North Texas
Abbott has also shared dehumanizing content from anti-Muslim bigot Amy Mek’s social media account, deleted it, then shared content from another anti-Muslim bigot alleging Islam is a “militant ideology.” Mekelburg is best known for her Islamophobic content but has previously encouraged her readers to follow a white supremacist and antisemite.
SEE: Epic Hate in Texas (pgs. 11 and 12)
BACKGROUND:
- CAIR national statement that has appeared on ITS website since 2009: “We unequivocally condemn all acts of terrorism, whether carried out by al-Qa’ida, the Real IRA, FARC, Hamas, ETA, or any other group designated by the U.S. Department of State as a ‘Foreign Terrorist Organization.’”
- A CAIR memorandum documenting its 30-year history condemning anti-Semitism and terrorism, including suicide bombings by Hamas, titled “A Principled and Consistent Force Against Antisemitism.” Click here to read.
- CAIR National Board statement from 2023 that reaffirms its condemnation of attacks on civilians on Oct. 7th.
- Op-ed published by CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad in 2023 that affirms his agreement with CAIR’s stance. Click here to read.
- CAIR statement on its website noting that the organization’s funding comes from the American people: “CAIR’s operational budget is overwhelmingly funded by donations from the American people. While most of those donations come from American Muslims, many of our donations come from the broader American public. CAIR is happy to receive the support of every individual, whether Muslim, Christian, Jewish, or another belief or way of life, who supports the organization’s mission of promoting justice and mutual understanding. In any given year, a small and negligible percentage of donations to CAIR comes from individuals who are not based in the United States. For example: in 2023, less than one percent of our donors were individuals based outside of America, most of them in Canada, and their contributions represented less than one percent of the total raised that year.”
END
CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530,