Muslim civil rights group CAIR sues Texas over Abbott's ‘terrorist’ designation

A prominent Muslim advocacy organization is taking Texas to court arguing that Gov Greg Abbott's decision to brand it a foreign terrorist organization tramples both the U S Constitution and state law The Council on American-Islamic Relations CAIR Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin chapters filed a federal lawsuit Thursday seeking to overturn Abbott s proclamation issued earlier in the week This attempt to punish the nation s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization only because Governor Abbott disagrees with its views is not only contrary to the United States Constitution but finds no help in any Texas law the group explained in its lawsuit Founded in CAIR operates chapters nationwide including a small Texas staff of eight employees and two contractors according to the filing TEXAS GOV ABBOTT DECLARES CAIR MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD AS TERRORIST GROUPS PREVENTING LAND PURCHASES CAIR-Texas and the Texas Muslim area are standing up for our constitutional rights by directly confronting Greg Abbott s lawless attack on our civil rights CAIR-Texas disclosed in a comment 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 We plan to continue exercising our constitutional rights defending civil rights and speaking truth to power whether in defense of free speech religious freedom and racial equality here in Texas or in defense of human rights abroad Abbott s order extended the terrorist label to the Muslim Brotherhood even though federal agents have never classified either group that way The governor s decree also bars CAIR from purchasing land in the Lone Star State under a new statute aimed at curbing purchases tied to foreign adversaries The group s filing contends Abbott relied on inflammatory statements with no basis in fact selectively citing remarks by affiliates to paint CAIR as sympathetic to terrorism The lawsuit we have filed this day is our first step towards defeating Governor Abbott again so that our nation protects free speech and due process for all Americans CAIR Litigation Director and General Counsel Lena Masri commented in a comment No civil rights organizations are safe if a governor can baselessly and unilaterally declare any of them terrorist groups ban them from buying land and threaten them with closure We have beaten Greg Abbott s attacks on the First Amendment before and God willing we will do it again now The Muslim Legal Fund of America also mentioned it is proud to defend the constitutional rights of CAIR-Texas and the right of all Texans to engage in free speech and uphold civil rights without facing lawless and defamatory attacks by Greg Abbott Mr Abbott s unconstitutional proclamation undermines the very foundational notions of due process that our system depends upon and it must not stand stated Muslim Legal Fund of America attorney Charlie Swift For the sake of our nation s basic freedoms Greg Abbott s latest attack on the American people must be defeated ANTI-ISLAM PROTESTERS MUSLIMS CLASH IN DEARBORN MICHIGAN AFTER MAN ATTEMPTS TO BURN QURANEarlier this year Texas Republicans sought to stop a Muslim-centered planned locality around one of the state s largest mosques near Dallas Abbott and other Republican state administrators opened investigations into the advancement linked to the East Plano Islamic Center EPIC claiming the group is attempting to create a Muslim-exclusive district that would implement Islamic law EPIC City representatives called the attacks alleging Islamic law misleading dangerous and without basis The U S Justice Department closed a federal civil rights review into the planned group without bringing any charges or lawsuits The Associated Press contributed to this statement