A chapter of the Muslim organization in Houston is set to join a lawsuit against Texas Governor Greg Abbott. This comes after several local Muslim leaders convened on Friday to denounce the governor’s recent actions targeting the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a prominent national civil rights entity.
During a press conference, Imam Ehteshamul Haque called for peace and justice, expressing deep concern over the governor’s classification of CAIR as a foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organization. Haque delivered a prayer, asking for the governor to be granted wisdom and compassion for the minorities in Texas.
The governor’s designation also extends to the Muslim Brotherhood, preventing both groups from acquiring land within the state. In a statement, Abbott accused CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood of attempting to “forcibly impose Sharia law” in Texas. Furthermore, he has instructed the Texas Department of Public Safety to initiate a criminal investigation into these organizations.
In response, the Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth chapters of CAIR have already initiated legal action against the governor, claiming that his actions violate constitutional rights. During the press conference, attorney and CAIR board member John Floyd a
ounced that the Houston chapter intends to participate in the lawsuit as well.
“CAIR finds itself in a unique situation as a civil rights organization,” Floyd stated. “We have a robust legal defense team and a strong public relations team. We refuse to back down; we will take a stand against this governor’s actions.”
Imran Ghani, the director of CAIR Houston, highlighted a troubling trend of rising discrimination against local Muslims in recent months. He noted that each chapter of CAIR has established a legal intake form on its website to address these issues. Ghani reported that last year, CAIR received its highest volume of harassment complaints nationwide, and he anticipates surpassing that figure this year.
