Texas Governor Greg Abbott has instructed state prosecutors to investigate North Texas Sharia tribunals. At the same time, civil rights organizations strongly oppose his order because they view it as an unconstitutional attack on religious freedom based on proven false information.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Texas) labeled Abbott’s Wednesday order as “increasingly desperate and deranged” because he made the announcement right after declaring CAIR a “foreign terrorist organization” through an unauthorized proclamation.
Governor Points to Dallas-Based Islamic Tribunal
In his letter sent to North Texas district attorneys and sheriffs on November 19, Abbott specifically referenced the Islamic Tribunal, an organization launched in Dallas in 2014, claiming it had established a rival court system to enforce Islamic law illegally. The governor’s order alleged unnamed “Sharia tribunals” were “masquerading” as legal courts and issuing orders that circumvent U.S. law.
“Greg Abbott’s disregard for the First Amendment, his obsession with Texas Muslims, and his dedication to protecting the Israeli government from criticism apparently know no bounds,” CAIR-Texas stated in its response.
Civil Rights Group Vows Constitutional Defense
CAIR-Texas stated that Sharia ban attempts would restrict Jewish halacha and Catholic canon law while describing Abbott’s request as an attack on religious freedom. The organization noted that religious arbitration practiced by Muslim, Jewish, and Christian communities operates voluntarily under U.S. law without any authority to replace official court systems.
“CAIR-Texas plans to continue to vigorously defend the Texas Muslim community from this governor’s increasingly desperate and deranged attempts to shred the First Amendment for the benefit of a foreign nation.”
— CAIR-Texas statement
The group won three court cases against Abbott because his Texas policies broke constitutional protections for supporting Palestine. The organization stated they would return to court against Abbott if he decided to continue with the case.
Escalating Anti-Muslim Rhetoric in Texas Politics
Abbott’s investigation order follows a series of controversial actions targeting Muslim organizations and individuals in Texas. On November 18, the governor designated both the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal organizations, banning them from purchasing or acquiring land in the state.
In his proclamation, Abbott accused CAIR’s goal of being “to forcibly impose Sharia law and establish Islam’s mastership of the world”. The organization called this designation “defamatory” and without “basis in law or fact,” noting that only the federal government has authority to designate terrorist organizations.
CAIR emphasized in response that “unlike Mr. Abbott, who has instigated violence against Texas students protesting the genocide in Gaza to appease AIPAC donors, our civil rights organization is an independent entity that responds to the American populace” and “denounces all forms of violence, hate crimes, ethnic cleansing, genocide, and terrorism”.
Religious Arbitration Protected Under Federal Law
Legal experts explain that current constitutional safeguards stop foreign laws from superseding American judicial standards. The 1925 Federal Arbitration Act enables Muslims, Christians, Jews, and other religious groups to resolve their disputes through religious tribunals, which state and federal courts enforce as legal decisions.
Research from Canopy Forum shows that religious arbitration applies only to civil cases and does not include criminal law disputes. Courts that review arbitration decisions must confirm that the decisions comply with U.S. law and public policy and that all parties participated voluntarily.
Sharia arbitration exists at a minimal level when compared to other religious arbitration systems operating in the United States, according to Canopy Forum research. Many Christian and Jewish Americans use spiritual law to settle their disputes, according to Canopy Forum research.
Pattern of Anti-Muslim Actions Documented
CAIR-Texas accused Abbott of promoting conspiracy theories and noted the governor’s directive follows several failed efforts to penalize Texans who criticized the Israeli government or refused to sign pro-Israel pledges. The organization stated that previous attempts by Abbott to link Muslim organizations to wrongdoing had failed.
The controversy emerged against a backdrop of rising anti-Muslim sentiment in Texas politics. Just hours before a Texas conservative group sent an anti-Muslim email in September, Abbott posted on social media declaring that “sharia law and sharia cities are banned in the state of Texas,” adding that “any legal system that flouts human rights is BANNED”.
According to FBI data, hate crimes targeting Muslims continue to escalate, while Rice University research shows that 62 percent of Muslims report experiencing hostility based on their faith.