Southern Methodist University (SMU) has canceled a youth conference organized by CAIR-Texas that was scheduled to be held on its Dallas campus. The university cited Texas Governor Greg Abbott's designation of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as a "foreign terrorist" organization as the reason for the cancellation.

The conference, titled "Unapologetically Muslim," was intended for high school students and incoming college freshmen and sophomores. It was advertised as a day focused on leadership development and civic engagement, featuring interactive sessions and community-organizing training.

In November, Governor Abbott declared the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR to be foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal organizations. Abbott stated that "The Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR have long made their goals clear: to forcibly impose Sharia law and establish Islam’s ‘mastership of the world.’" He further asserted that "The actions taken by the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR to support terrorism across the globe and subvert our laws through violence, intimidation, and harassment are unacceptable."

CAIR sued Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in November 2025, seeking to block the proclamation. The organization argued that the designation was an attempt to punish CAIR for its views and was contrary to the U.S. Constitution and Texas law. CAIR-Texas stated in its lawsuit that it was defending its constitutional rights against an "attack" and would not be intimidated by "smear campaigns." The lawsuit remains ongoing.

In response to the cancellation, an SMU spokesperson confirmed the decision, stating, "After reviewing plans for an upcoming unaffiliated youth leadership symposium advertised to take place at SMU, the University has determined that permitting the event to take place on campus, given the State of Texas’ current designation of the symposium’s organizer, is inconsistent with our mission and related University policies."

The Houston Chapter of CAIR-Texas was established in 1994. According to its website, the group's core principles include supporting Islam, fostering equality, stimulating interfaith dialogue, and condemning violence. The organization states its work aims to "promote a positive image of Islam and Muslims in America" through media relations, government relations, education, and advocacy.