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Abbott Urges Paxton to Revoke CAIR’s Nonprofit Status as AG Probes School Districts

The push relies on the attorney general’s power over nonprofits after Abbott labeled the group a terrorist organization last year.

Overview

  • Gov. Greg Abbott asked Attorney General Ken Paxton to strip CAIR-Texas of its nonprofit status and to bar its affiliates from operating in the state, with no immediate action announced by Paxton.
  • Paxton opened an inquiry into Cypress-Fairbanks ISD and Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, demanding communications, contracts and records related to the Islamic Games of North America and any connections to CAIR.
  • Grapevine-Colleyville ISD canceled a May 2026 Islamic Games booking under negotiation, while Cy-Fair ISD said no agreement exists for 2026–27 and cited federal equal-access rules that prohibit viewpoint discrimination in facility use.
  • CAIR denies ties to Hamas, has sued to block Abbott’s designation, and says it has cooperated with federal authorities, while Abbott’s office points to a past terrorism-financing case and an archived Islamic Games page that listed CAIR-NJ as a sponsor.
  • Recent local responses include an Austin City Council proclamation naming January Muslim Heritage Month and declaring Jan. 22 as CAIR Austin Day.