On Tuesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott designated the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations as foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal organizations. This designation will allow for increased enforcement action against the organization and its affiliates by authorities in the Lone Star State.
Tuesday morning press release released in the state capital, Abbott made the following comments regarding the designation, stating: “The Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR have long made their goals clear: to forcefully impose Sharia law and establish Islamic dominance over the world. The actions taken by the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR to support terrorism around the world and undermine our laws through violence, intimidation and harassment are unacceptable.”
The designation would prohibit the organizations and their affiliates from purchasing or acquiring land in Texas. Abbott emphasized the implications of the designation, adding, “These radical extremists are not welcome in our state and are now prohibited from acquiring any real estate interests in Texas.”
PROC declares Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR transnational criminal organizations IMAGE 11/18/2025
The proclamation signed by Abbott on Tuesday laid out the history of the Muslim Brotherhood, describing the group's previous actions in a paragraph that read: “WHEREAS Hassan al-Banna, who founded the Muslim Brotherhood almost 100 years ago, stated that “jihad is a duty owed by Allah to every Muslim and cannot be ignored or evaded” and that jihad means “the struggle of the non-believers and includes “includes all possible efforts necessary to overthrow the enemies of Islam, including beating them, plundering their wealth, destroying their traditions of worship and destroying their idols.”
The proclamation describes CAIR as an Islamist organization that, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, “was founded as a 'front' for Hamas and its network of support” in the United States.
In May, the Justice Department opened a civil rights investigation into the developers of a planned Muslim community north of Dallas in Breitbart, Texas. reported. The investigation follows a letter from Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon asking the Justice Department to open an investigation into the planned Muslim congregation of the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC) in mid-April.
The complex, officially known as EPIC Ranches City, in Josephine, Texas, is under investigation by the Texas Rangers at the request of Texas Governor Greg Abbott. The governor said the planned community could pose a risk of religious discrimination against Christians, Jews and other non-Muslim minorities.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the U.S. Border Patrol. Prior to his retirement, he served as Chief of Law Enforcement Operations, overseeing nine Border Patrol stations in the Del Rio, Texas sector. Follow him on X @RandyClarkBBTX.
