Texas Governor Targets Sharia Law and Islamic Organizations
This week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott took decisive steps against Sharia law, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). However, critics are raising questions regarding the allocation of millions in taxpayer funding to what they claim is an Islamist group based in Texas during Abbott’s administration.
On Tuesday, Abbott announced that he has officially classified both the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal organizations. The following day, he urged local prosecutors to look into the existence of sharia “courts” in Texas, which he claims may be promoting Islamic practices in ways that conflict with both state and federal laws.
Abbott stated, “Unlike the previous administration, grant recipients will no longer be allowed to use federal funds to empower extremist organizations with unseemly ties that are not in the interest of the American people.” With such strong statements, one has to wonder about the funding that appears to have continued under his leadership.
Despite these recent claims to combat extremism, some are discontented with Abbott, particularly regarding the reported use of tax dollars to support Islamic mosques across Texas. A report from the Middle East Forum stated that the state has “provided more than $13 million in federal and state funds to mosques and community groups linked to Islamist movements” including groups like Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Of the 18 organizations that received funding, a notable number are alleged to have “extremist links.” The Middle East Forum emphasized that while some of the funding appears to be a return of already collected funds, significant amounts still seem to stem from direct grants and federal programs initiated by the state.
The Governor’s Office clarified to Blaze News that the funds mentioned in the Middle East Forum’s report were not sourced from state tax dollars. Instead, they indicated these were federal funds coming from the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Nonprofit Security Grants Program.
Since 2016, around $63 million in federal grants have reportedly flowed through Texas to nonprofits, with $55 million allocated to faith-based organizations, including churches and synagogues, while a smaller portion has gone to mosques, according to Abbott’s office.
Additionally, the Texas Governor’s Office affirmed that the assessment of grant programs rests with federal agencies, not the state. Yet, Sam Westrop, director of Islamism Watch, challenged this assertion, claiming that individual states are indeed responsible for scrutinizing these grants and can choose to deny them.
Westrop remarked that only a minor portion of the $13 million originated from the security grant program, yet many of the identified grants are still tied to federal funding. In his view, the Texas government, as the primary grant recipient, has the obligation to evaluate risks and can refuse to distribute certain subawards.
The Nonprofit Security Grant Program is designed to offer financial assistance to nonprofits considered “high risk” for terrorist activities, extending support to places of worship, educational institutions, medical centers, and similar organizations. The funds can correspond to security improvements, including alarm systems and cameras, as well as planning and training activities related to security.
Discussions about Abbott’s actions against what he labels Islamic extremists continue, particularly as he reiterates there’s no Sharia law recognized in Texas. The emergence of this debate reflects ongoing tensions regarding federal and state funding allocations and their implications.
Moving forward, questions remain about whether Texas can effectively prevent grants from reaching alleged Islamist groups. Nevertheless, officials from FEMA have indicated that rigorous evaluation processes have been heightened under the current administration, promising better accountability for taxpayer dollars.
