AUSTIN, Texas โ Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says his office has taken legal action in response to a lawsuit brought by local chapters of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, asserting that Texas will defend its authority to make national security determinations under state law.
In a statement released by the Office of the Attorney General and dated Dec. 23, 2025, Paxton stated his filing responds to litigation initiated by CAIR chapters in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Austin. Those chapters sued the state after a proclamation issued by Greg Abbott on Nov. 18, 2025, which declared the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR to be foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal organizations under Texas law.
According to the Attorney Generalโs office, the lawsuit alleges the proclamation chilled free speech. Paxtonโs response rejects that claim.
โRadical Islamist terrorist groups are anti-American, and the infiltration of these dangerous individuals into Texas must be stopped,โ Paxton said in the statement. โMy office will continue to defend the Governorโs lawful, accurate declaration that CAIR is a foreign terrorist organization, as well as Texasโs right to protect itself from organizations with documented ties to foreign extremist movements.โ
Paxtonโs filing argues that the lawsuit relies on what his office described as speculation and political disagreement rather than legal deficiencies in the stateโs actions. The Attorney Generalโs office said the proclamation reflects Texasโs responsibility to safeguard public safety and national security.
The statement further claims that CAIR has been designated a foreign terrorist organization not only by Texas but also by Florida and the United Arab Emirates. FBI special agents have described CAIR as a front group for Hamas. These assertions are attributed to the Attorney Generalโs office and reflect the stateโs legal position in the case.
CAIR has long rejected such characterizations. The organization describes itself as a Muslim civil rights and advocacy group and has denied any links to terrorism. CAIR has said the Texas proclamation and similar statements elsewhere are defamatory and politically motivated.
Legal analysts note that the case centers on the balance between state security powers and constitutional protections. The courts will ultimately determine whether Texas acted within its authority and whether the proclamation violates First Amendment rights.
Paxtonโs office emphasized that the filing does not create new designations but seeks to defend existing state actions against legal challenge. โTexas will continue to work to identify and combat foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations that threaten public safety, American values, and national security,โ the statement said.
The lawsuit remains pending, and no court has yet ruled on the merits of the claims or defenses. Both sides are expected to submit additional filings as the case proceeds.
Jewish and pro-Israel advocacy groups monitoring antisemitism and extremist activity said the dispute underscores broader concerns about transparency, security, and accountability among politically active organizations. They stressed that allegations of terrorist ties should be tested in court and evaluated based on evidence.
CAIR has not issued a detailed response to Paxtonโs latest filing beyond prior statements disputing the stateโs claims and defending its role as a civil rights organization.
As the litigation continues, the case is expected to draw national attention, given its implications for state authority, free speech, and how governments address organizations they view as connected to extremist movements.
The Attorney Generalโs office said it will continue to defend Texasโs actions through the legal process. They urged the courts to dismiss what they described as an unfounded challenge to the stateโs security determinations.
