Overview
- A federal judge in Texas granted part of Gov. Greg Abbott’s discovery request, ordering CAIR to identify foreign donors who gave $5,000 or more from 2021 to 2024 and to produce travel itineraries for executive director Nihad Awad to specific Middle East countries related to funding or operations.
- CAIR called the ruling a narrow disclosure and said the court rejected most of Abbott’s broader demands, while Abbott hailed it as a major step that will expose funding sources and overseas contacts.
- California’s chapter has received about $40–41 million in state‑administered grants over five years, much of it from federal funds, and the Justice Department has opened a probe into whether the group should remain eligible for taxpayer money.
- New backlash followed a viral clip of CAIR‑California leader Zahra Billoo urging supporters to be “strategic” about posting statements like “I hate all Zionists,” a moment critics say undercuts the group’s public stance and fuels calls to review its grants and partners.
- Texas and Florida have issued state‑level terrorist designations for CAIR, which the group is challenging, and reporting from City Journal says CAIR‑CA subgranted millions to dozens of groups; CAIR denies ties to terrorism, though it was listed as an unindicted co‑conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation case.