Abbott took action in November to designate both the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal organizations.
In a statement released alongside his proclamation, Abbott stated that both the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR “have long made their goals clear: to forcibly impose Sharia law and establish Islam’s ‘mastership of the world.’”
“The actions taken by the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR to support terrorism across the globe and subvert our laws through violence, intimidation, and harassment are unacceptable,” the governor said before formally making his declaration.
“Today, I designated the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal organizations,” he said. “These radical extremists are not welcome in our state and are now prohibited from acquiring any real property interest in Texas.”
CAIR is attempting to fight back, filing a federal lawsuit against Abbott, as Breitbart News reported:
According to a press release issued by CAIR on Thursday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was named as a party in the lawsuit along with Gov. Abbott. In the statement released by CAIR, General Counsel Lena Masri described the group’s previous legal actions against the state, saying, “CAIR Legal Defense Fund has successfully sued and defeated Texas Governor Greg Abbott the last three times he tried to violate the First Amendment by punishing critics of the Israeli government.”
CAIR categorized Abbott’s designation of the group as a foreign terrorist organization, referring to the governor as an “Israel First politician,” saying, “We are not and will not be intimidated by smear campaigns launched by Israel First politicians like Mr. Abbott. Mr. Abbott is defaming us and other American Muslims because we are effective advocates for justice here and abroad.”
Several groups – including non-Muslims – have since called out Abbott, speaking out against his proclamation during a press conference this week.
Mustafaa Carroll, the executive director for CAIR-Dallas Fort Worth, said that Abbott is attempting to “punish the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization simply because he disagrees with its protected First Amendment rights to criticize a foreign state that is conducting genocide.”
Some interfaith leaders are also speaking out in support of CAIR.
“We stand steadfast in solidarity with our comrades in CAIR and in unwavering support in their lawsuit against Abbott’s false and unconstitutional proclamation,” said Deborah Armintor with Jewish Voice for Peace.
State Rep. Terry Meza has also joined the group in asking the governor for a retraction.
Meza said, “Your words are not just wrong, they’re dangerous. Making comments like this are dangerous to our Muslim community.”
As Abbott’s office detailed, the proclamation “authorizes heightened enforcement against both organizations and their affiliates and prohibits them from purchasing or acquiring land in Texas.”
Breitbart News
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