In a bold move framed as a matter of public safety and national security, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a comprehensive lawsuit against the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), including its Austin, Houston, and Dallas-Fort Worth chapters, seeking to permanently ban these groups from operating within the state of Texas.
The action represents one of the most significant state-level legal challenges to CAIR’s operations in recent history, and is expected to set major precedents on the intersection of First Amendment protections, terrorism law, and state regulatory authority.
⚖️ Lawsuit at a Glance
The Allegations: A Three-Decade Covert Operation
According to the lawsuit, the Muslim Brotherhood is characterized as a radical terrorist organization that seeks to usurp governmental power and establish dominion through sharia law. The legal filing alleges that for three decades, the Muslim Brotherhood covertly operated in the United States under the name CAIR as its American chapter.
Key evidence cited: A founding board member of CAIR-Texas was convicted in 2008 of funneling $12.4 million to Hamas through the Holy Land Foundation. CAIR was named an unindicted co-conspirator in that federal case — what the lawsuit describes as establishing “unquestionable” terrorist ties.
The legal action asserts that the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR are in violation of several Texas state laws, including the state’s ban on any entity engaging in terrorism, its prohibition on transnational criminal organizations owning property, and public nuisance statutes barring radical groups from engaging in gang activities.
“Sharia law and the jihadists who follow sharia law have no business being in Texas. Radical Islamic terrorists are antithetical to law and order, endanger the people of Texas, and are an existential threat to our values.”
— Attorney General Ken PaxtonScope of the Lawsuit
The proposed remedies sought by AG Paxton are sweeping in nature. The lawsuit seeks to:
- Permanently prohibit the organizations and their affiliates from owning property in Texas
- Prevent them from soliciting or recruiting members within the state
- Enjoin all operational activity tied to the Muslim Brotherhood network in Texas
The full lawsuit has been made available for public review, providing detailed legal arguments and supporting evidence for the state’s case.
Investigating the “Sharia City” Development in Kaufman County
In a related enforcement action, AG Paxton has launched a parallel investigation into what has been described as a potentially unlawful development in Kaufman County. A U.S. subsidiary of Dubai-based developer SEE Holding, in connection with Kaufman Solar LLC, has reportedly purchased thousands of acres near Kaufman, Texas.
The proposed development, described publicly as a “sustainable city,” has drawn concerns after reports suggested that as many as 20,000 foreign nationals could potentially relocate into the new development. Many Texans have raised concerns that this could be an unlawful development designed to function as a “sharia city.”
Investigation details: Requests to Examine (RTEs) have been sent to SEE Holding and Kaufman Solar LLC. The documents demand information on communications with local, county, and state officials, the relationship between the two companies, and all aspects of real estate acquisition in Texas.
“There will be no ‘sharia city’ in Texas under my watch. While you’re on American soil, you will obey America’s laws.”
— Attorney General Ken PaxtonMuslim Women’s Rights Advocate Speaks Out
Dr. Anila Ali, President and CEO of the American Muslims Multifaith Women Empowerment Council (AMMWEC), has registered her strong support for accountability measures and raised urgent concerns about the systematic silencing of moderate Muslim voices who stand against Islamist organizations.
Dr. Ali — a retired public school teacher who describes herself as having been “squeezed out by woke antisemitic educationists in California public schools” — addressed Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales and various government officials, questioning why her organization, the first Muslim women’s civil rights organization founded in 2011, continues to be blocked on Wikipedia while openly standing against groups like CAIR since 9/11 through October 7.
“I strictly told my students Wikipedia is not a valid source — it’s written by people, and it has biases. Thank God for that! Look at how gloriously they portray the terrorist organization, Hamas — it’s a ‘resistance movement!'”
— Dr. Anila Ali, President & CEO, AMMWECConcerns About Information Warfare
Dr. Ali has raised serious concerns about what she describes as Muslim Brotherhood influence in American institutions, suggesting that Wikipedia appears to function as a platform for Islamism in America. Addressing Secretary Rubio and Education Secretary McMahon directly, she called for platforms that she believes amplify such narratives to be held accountable:
“You want to save America from Hamas & Muslim Brotherhood — ban Wikipedia and its sister org, Al Jazeera! And that will only be a start because their roots are so deep down into American institutions that this is just the tip of the iceberg.”
— Dr. Anila AliDr. Ali also raised questions about foreign influence more broadly, including reports about Qatar’s potential interest in acquiring AI platforms and what she characterized as certain media figures quietly promoting Qatari Muslim Brotherhood narratives.
Silencing of Pro-Israel, Moderate Muslim Voices
Dr. Ali has documented her organization’s experience of being systematically removed from Wikipedia. According to her account, pages for AMMWEC, herself, and colleague Soraya Deen were all taken down — which she attributes directly to her organization’s pro-Israel stance and its outspoken criticism of radical Islamism.
“Banned and blocked from Wikipedia since 2014 because we had the moral clarity to see what the radical left was doing. Because we stood up for Israel and called out the lies.”
— Dr. Anila AliDr. Ali recounted that when she wrote to Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales suggesting his editors may carry a bias against Israel, Wales “took offense and fired back with a personal attack simply because I dared to raise the issue” — reflecting, in her view, a broader pattern where diverse voices with positive views of Israel are systematically excluded.
What Comes Next
As AG Paxton’s lawsuit moves through the Texas legal system, it is expected to face substantial legal challenges and could set precedent for how U.S. states address organizations with alleged terrorist connections. Key legal battlegrounds will include First Amendment protections, the scope of state authority to designate and regulate organizations, and the evidentiary standard for terrorism-linked affiliations.
Meanwhile, Dr. Ali’s advocacy continues to draw attention to the experiences of moderate Muslims in America — those who, she argues, are penalized institutionally for standing with Israel and against radical Islamism, and whose voices deserve protection and amplification rather than suppression.
The convergence of these legal and social movements marks a critical moment in ongoing national debates about security, religious freedom, civil society, and the boundaries of acceptable organizational activity in the United States.
RIU Special Report
This is a special report by the Rooted in Unity editorial team, dedicated to covering stories of faith, security, civil society, and principled advocacy across communities and national boundaries.