New Bill Would Aim to Brand Major Muslim Group a ‘Foreign Terrorist Organization’
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new bill introduced in Congress seeks to designate the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as a foreign terrorist organization, citing the group’s documented ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and past connections to terrorist financing operations. The legislation is being championed by Rep. Dale Strong, R-Ala., who says the time has come for the federal government to confront what he describes as “dangerous Islamist influence operating under the guise of civil rights advocacy.”
“CAIR’s history and associations are not just problematic—they’re a threat to national security,” Strong told The Daily Signal. “This is not about religion. It’s about terrorism, extremism, and the safety of the American people.”
The bill instructs the Secretary of State to formally review and, if warranted, designate CAIR as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Such a designation would prohibit Americans from knowingly providing material support to the group and allow for asset seizures, immigration restrictions, and enhanced surveillance.
Founded in 1994, CAIR brands itself as the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization. But critics have long argued that the organization functions more as a political pressure group with questionable international affiliations. CAIR was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the 2008 Holy Land Foundation terrorism financing trial—the largest such case in U.S. history—where the foundation was found guilty of funneling millions to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization.
Fine criticized the organization’s executive director, Nihad Awad, for public comments he made following Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. In December 2023, a video began circulating on social media in which Awad says he “was happy to see people breaking the siege and throwing down the shackles of their own land and walk free into their land that they were not allowed to walk in.”
Despite repeated attempts to clear its name, CAIR has never been removed from the unindicted co-conspirator list. The FBI cut ties with the group in 2009, citing its ongoing connections to individuals tied to terrorist activities. “Their track record speaks for itself,” Rep. Strong emphasized. “They were caught red-handed supporting an organization whose sole purpose is the violent destruction of Israel.”
The Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist movement founded in Egypt in the 1920s, is banned in multiple countries including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The Brotherhood’s stated mission includes the implementation of Sharia law and the establishment of a global Islamic caliphate. Many counterterrorism experts and former intelligence officials believe CAIR operates as a front group for Muslim Brotherhood objectives within the United States.
The legislation has drawn support from conservative lawmakers and national security advocates who argue the federal government has for too long turned a blind eye to radical Islamic influence in American institutions.
“This is long overdue,” said Frank Gaffney, founder of the Center for Security Policy. “We must recognize that groups like CAIR are part of a global network aimed at undermining Western civilization from within. Congress has the responsibility to act.”
Strong’s bill also calls on the State Department to provide Congress with a detailed report on CAIR’s foreign funding sources, affiliations with international Islamist groups, and any involvement in lobbying U.S. policymakers on behalf of hostile entities.
For years, CAIR has aggressively pushed back against these accusations, portraying itself as a victim of Islamophobia and discrimination. The organization has filed numerous lawsuits claiming defamation, many of which have been dismissed or settled without any judicial finding of wrongdoing on the part of the defendants.
Nihad Awad, CAIR’s longtime executive director, has previously refused to explicitly condemn Hamas, claiming that it is not the role of an American civil rights group to take positions on foreign conflicts. Critics argue this evasiveness is telling. “They hide behind civil rights rhetoric while refusing to denounce terrorist murderers,” Strong said. “That should alarm every American.”
CAIR has also been vocal in opposing nearly every significant piece of anti-terror legislation since 9/11, often arguing that such measures unfairly target Muslims. Yet analysts point out that the group’s resistance to even the most common-sense security policies raises serious questions about its priorities and allegiances.
At the grassroots level, conservative Christian leaders have expressed concern for years that CAIR and similar organizations are working to normalize radical ideologies under the banner of religious freedom. “Religious liberty is a foundational American value,” said Rev. Mark Davis, a pastor from Georgia. “But liberty doesn’t mean tolerating organizations with documented ties to jihadist violence.”
The Biden administration has not commented on the bill, but any move to designate CAIR as a terrorist group would likely provoke strong opposition from progressives and left-leaning media outlets that have often defended the organization. Nevertheless, Strong believes the issue is too critical to be brushed aside by political correctness.
“This is about protecting America from enemies both foreign and domestic,” Strong said. “We cannot allow ideological sympathizers with terrorist movements to gain legitimacy within our borders.”
The legislation, if passed, would mark a significant shift in the way the federal government approaches Islamist influence operations within the U.S. While previous administrations have issued warnings, Strong’s bill would compel action through a formal legal mechanism.
As the threat of radical Islam continues to evolve in form and method, many conservatives believe it is time to stop giving a pass to organizations cloaked in legitimacy but rooted in dangerous ideologies. Strong’s proposed legislation is a step toward restoring national security policy grounded in facts—not fear of political backlash.