Oklahoma Orders Investigation into the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR, Calls for Their Federal Designation as Terrorist Organizations
Republican Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has intensified his state’s measures against the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), launching a two-pronged initiative involving extensive local investigations and a formal request for the federal government to designate both organizations as “foreign terrorist organizations.”
Executive Order and Security Investigations
On August 12, Stitt issued an executive order directing the state’s Office of Homeland Security and Department of Public Safety to investigate the Muslim Brotherhood, CAIR, and entities affiliated with them.
The investigation is intended to identify any potential activities and determine the measures required to prevent possible terrorist operations within the state. The governor justified the move by stating that “the organization’s ideology is incompatible with America’s founding principles,” accusing entities allegedly linked to it of supporting Hamas and Hezbollah and raising funds to finance armed operations since October 7.
Targeting CAIR and Judicial Precedents
The executive order places the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) at the center of the initiative, drawing on previous judicial documents, most notably the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development case, in which CAIR was named as an “unindicted co-conspirator.”
The governor also referred to evidence portraying CAIR as an organization affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood and linked to organizations designated as terrorist groups.
Growing State-Level Action and a Parallel Legislative Path
Oklahoma’s move comes amid growing momentum at the state level. It follows initiatives taken in Texas under Governor Greg Abbott and in Florida, where Governor Ron DeSantis has pursued measures aimed at locally designating the organization as terrorist.
At the same time, a bill is currently being considered by Oklahoma’s legislature that would grant state authorities broader powers to investigate and disrupt allegedly related unlawful activities and, where applicable, designate the organizations as terrorist entities at the state level.
Mechanisms and Implications of Federal Designation
Stitt’s request represents a shift from local measures toward seeking the application of federal law, specifically 8 U.S.C. § 1189, which authorizes the U.S. Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretaries of the Treasury and Justice, to designate an organization as a “foreign terrorist organization” if three conditions are met:
- The organization must be foreign.
- It must engage in terrorist activity or possess the intent and capability to do so.
- Such activity must threaten the security of U.S. nationals, the national security of the United States, or the country’s foreign policy.
If such a designation is approved and published in the Federal Register following notification to Congress, it carries severe legal consequences. These include criminal penalties for providing “material support or resources” to the designated organization, the application of strict immigration and entry restrictions to foreign nationals associated with it, as well as asset freezes and related financial measures.
With this move, the matter has shifted beyond simple state-level monitoring into a political and legal effort to invoke one of the most powerful instruments available under U.S. law against organizations designated as terrorists.
