CAIR LDF and MLFA File Suit
November 22nd, 2025
CAIR LDF and MLFA File Lawsuit
CAIR’s Legal Defense Fund and the Muslim Legal Fund of America have filed a major federal lawsuit challenging Governor Greg Abbott’s recent proclamation that falsely labels CAIR a foreign terrorist organization and a transnational criminal organization. According to the complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, the Governor’s proclamation is unlawful, unsupported by evidence, and a profound misuse of executive authority aimed at chilling the civil rights advocacy of American Muslims.
The filing emphasizes that only the United States Secretary of State has the legal authority to designate foreign terrorist organizations, and CAIR is a domestic nonprofit organization that has operated lawfully for more than thirty years. The complaint explains that Governor Abbott relied on misinformation, mischaracterized statements, and discredited allegations, while ignoring CAIR’s long record of condemning terrorism and advocating for justice. The document states that Abbott’s action threatens CAIR’s ability to own property, exposes staff and partners to heightened penalties, and creates a climate of fear in which Texans may hesitate to engage with a civil rights group out of concern for retaliation.
The lawsuit argues that the proclamation violates due process, suppresses protected speech, and punishes association with CAIR by attaching civil and criminal consequences to ordinary community engagement. The complaint notes that CAIR has successfully challenged unconstitutional state actions in previous years, and it frames the current proclamation as part of a pattern of political retaliation against protected advocacy.
By filing this case, CAIR LDF and MLFA seek to protect constitutional freedoms, reaffirm the rights of Texas Muslims to organize and speak freely, and prevent the state from weaponizing fear and misinformation against a lawful civil rights organization.
CAIR-DFW TEAM
