Texas AG Leads Multistate Legal Assault Against Pro-Palestinian Groups Over Alleged Hamas Support
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton joined a coalition of Republican state attorneys general on January 6, 2026, filing an amicus brief in support of victims of Hamas terrorism, targeting American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) and National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP) for allegedly aligning with the designated terrorist organization. The legal action centers on statements made by these groups one day after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that killed approximately 1,200 people, most of them civilians.
The multistate brief supports civil claims brought under the federal Anti-Terrorism Act by survivors of the October 7 massacre, family members of murder victims, and individuals displaced by Hamas’s ongoing attacks. According to the Texas Attorney General’s office, AMP and NSJP publicly declared on October 8, 2023, that they were “part of a Unity Intifada” under Hamas’s “unified command”.
“Radical Islamic Terrorist Groups Must Be Decimated”
“Radical Islamic terrorist groups like Hamas must be decimated and dismantled, and that includes their domestic supporting branches,” Paxton stated in his office’s press release. “Terrorism relies on complex networks and intermediaries, and the law must be enforced against those who knowingly provide material support.”
The Attorney General emphasized his office’s commitment to pursuing accountability, stating: “My office will continue to defend Americans who have been brutally affected by terrorism and ensure accountability under the law”.
National Students for Justice in Palestine Under Scrutiny
National Students for Justice in Palestine has faced increased scrutiny for its campus activities and statements following the October 7 attacks. According to Influence Watch, NSJP operates as a network coordinating pro-Palestinian student activism on university campuses across the United States. The organization has been at the center of controversies regarding its rhetoric and organizing tactics in the aftermath of the Hamas attack.
The attorneys general coalition argues that public statements and organizational activities by NSJP and AMP following October 7 amounted to material support for Hamas, a US-designated terrorist group, in violation of federal law.
Civil Liability Strategy, A Counter-Terrorism Tool
Unlike criminal prosecutions, the legal strategy highlighted in Paxton’s brief centers on civil litigation. Under the Anti-Terrorism Act, victims of designated terrorist organizations may pursue damages from entities and individuals accused of knowingly supporting those organizations.
The Virginia and Iowa-led amicus brief, supported by Texas and other Republican-led states, emphasizes that both federal and state law prohibit providing material support to foreign terrorist organizations, according to the Missouri Attorney General’s office. The coalition argues that civil suits brought under the Anti-Terrorism Act are vital to ensuring victims have a path to justice.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, marking the October 7 anniversary in 2025, stated that his office joined the multistate effort “to support victims of the horrific October 7th Hamas terrorist attacks as they pursue justice against those who provided material support for terrorism”.
Ongoing Legal Challenges Target American Muslims for Palestine
The January 6 filing represents one of several ongoing legal challenges facing AMP. In April 2024, law firm Holtzman Vogel, along with Greenberg Traurig, filed a lawsuit representing victims of the October 7 attack against AMP and NSJP.
That lawsuit states: “Plaintiffs, survivors of Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attack, family members of those murdered by Hamas, civilians still under fire from Hamas’s ongoing terrorism, and persons displaced by Hamas’s ongoing terrorism, have been, and continue to be, injured because AMP and NSJP knowingly provide continuous, systematic, and substantial assistance to Hamas”.
The law firms stated in their announcement that the lawsuit was filed on behalf of American and Israeli victims seeking to hold the organizations accountable under federal anti-terrorism laws.
Multistate Coalition Supports Victims’ Legal Claims
Multiple Republican-led states have joined efforts to support victims of the October 7 attacks through amicus briefs and legal support. Missouri’s attorney general noted that the October 7 attack “left over 1,200 Israelis dead, with more than 250 Israelis taken hostage”.
The coalition argues that enforcing civil liability against organizations accused of supporting terrorism serves states’ broader interest in combating both foreign and domestic terrorism threats.
Broader Campaign Against Alleged Hamas Support Networks
Paxton’s January 6 filing follows earlier legal actions by his office related to terrorism designations. According to his office, Texas previously pursued the designation of the Muslim Brotherhood and Council on American-Islamic Relations as foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations under state law.
The case comes amid heightened scrutiny of pro-Hamas rhetoric following the October 7 massacre, which resulted in more than 1,200 deaths and hundreds of hostages taken into Gaza. Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada, the European Union, and Israel.
The Texas Attorney General’s office stated it is “committed to dismantling terrorism, both foreign and domestic,” emphasizing that the brief was filed to support victims seeking justice through the courts.