Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday announced that he is designating the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American‑Islamic Relations (CAIR) as foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal organizations under Texas law, a move that authorizes heightened enforcement against both entities and prohibits them from purchasing or acquiring land in Texas.
In a proclamation dated Nov. 18, the governor said: “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. Today, I designated the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal organizations. These radical extremists are not welcome in our state and are now prohibited from acquiring any real property interest in Texas.”
The Houston Chronicle reported Abbott has "increasingly spoken out against Muslim groups amid his run for a record fourth term," adding "Muslim advocates say he is amplifying Islamophobic rhetoric that they fear could lead to violence against Muslim communities."
They added that The U.S. has designated branches or affiliates of the Muslim Brotherhood, such as Hamas, as terrorist organizations, while CAIR is a "Muslim advocacy organization that has faced accusations that it has ties to terrorist groups."
So, why is CAIR being lumped in with terrorists if advocacy is their mission? The Chronicle noted: "One of the most often-cited reasons for inclusion of CAIR is a 2007 case in which the group was named as one of almost 300 unindicted co-conspirators without explanation, though it implied that the group supported Hamas in some way. CAIR has denied the allegations."