Austin taxpayers will provide $1,500 for a September 10 film screening and panel featuring CAIR-Austin, even as Gov. Greg Abbott (R-Texas) and Attorney General Ken Paxton (R-Texas) seek to restrict CAIR operations in the state.

The "Jesus Was a Migrant" program will run from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Asian American Resource Center, a city cultural facility at 8401 Cameron Rd. The registration page says FaithWorks, CAIR-Austin and other organizations are inviting residents to the event, which Austin "Equity" and Inclusion is sponsoring through its We All Belong initiative.

The panel will feature representatives from CAIR-Austin, Asian Texans for Justice and American Gateways.

Austin Public Information Specialist Natalie Hulsey confirmed the public funding in an email to The Dallas Express.

"The referenced event is directly tied to the City of Austin's We All Belong initiative, dedicated to strengthening belonging, celebrating diversity, and addressing hate, discrimination and bias through community engagement, education, partnerships, transparency, and coordinated action," Hulsey said.

"The only investment for this programming is the $1,500 grant provided to host the event through the City's We All Belong program sponsorship initiative," she added.

Hulsey's response did not identify the grant recipient or state that any portion would go directly to CAIR-Austin. Austin's adopted fiscal year 2025-2026 budget set aside $150,000 for We All Belong, which the city described as a public campaign against hate crimes and incidents.

The program includes a screening of a Tisby Studios documentary, an interfaith panel and immigration-law resources. "In accordance with the City of Austin's We All Belong initiative, this event is organized to bring all Austinites from different backgrounds together to foster compassion, love, and belonging," the event description states.

As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Abbott issued a November 18, 2025, proclamation designating the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations under the Texas Penal Code and transnational criminal organizations under the Texas Property Code. Abbott's action is a state designation, not a U.S. Department of State foreign terrorist organization designation.

The proclamation names CAIR, not CAIR-Austin or another local chapter. In a December 22, 2025, federal court filing, Paxton called the designated CAIR entity "a different legal entity" from CAIR-Austin and CAIR-DFW and argued that neither local plaintiff was specifically named in the proclamation.

Paxton's office has nevertheless scrutinized public entities over events tied to CAIR chapters. In January, the office demanded records from two school districts and said taxpayer dollars must not "materially support terrorist organizations or their affiliates."

Paxton then filed a separate lawsuit on February 5 against national CAIR and its Austin, Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth chapters. The lawsuit seeks to stop the organizations from operating in Texas. Those allegations remain contested.

"Texas taxpayers shouldn't tolerate any government or taxpayer-funded entity, at any level, partnering or working with CAIR. Texas taxpayer dollars should never be used to legitimize, support, or collaborate with organizations designated as foreign terrorist organizations. Period," State Board of Education member Brandon Hall (R-District 11) told The Dallas Express.

Abteen Vaziri, a Texas attorney and chairman of the Iranian American Republican Council, accused Austin of making "a political statement" and catering to "the fringe radical islamists."

CAIR and CAIR-Texas dispute the state's allegations. Responding to Paxton's February lawsuit, the organizations called it "another frivolous, politically motivated anti-Muslim publicity stunt" and said CAIR-Texas planned to continue its work in the state.

The Austin event remains scheduled for September 10. CAIR-Austin's Instagram post lists Austin "Equity" and Inclusion on the promotional flyer.