Council on American-Islamic Rights Texas-Houston (CAIR-Houston)

In 2024, the chapter filed a lawsuit against Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) on behalf of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), claiming that pro-Palestinian protesters at two universities in the state were being targeted by an executive order signed by Abbott. ²

Activities

In addition to civil rights training and other legal advocacy work, the Council on American-Islamic Relations Texas-Houston (CAIR-Houston) opposes policies and activities it alleges are Islamophobic. In April 2025, CAIR-Houston advocated that the Houston Independent School District (HISD) conduct an investigation into, and approve of, school transfers for three Afghan female students who were allegedly assaulted for their ethnicity at Paul Revere Middle School. ³

Also in April 2025, CAIR Action Texas, CAIR-Houston, and its parent group, CAIR Texas, advocated that Texas Muslims attend a political demonstration protesting a rally by anti-Islam group Rise Align Ignite Reclaim (RAIR), outside the Texas State Capitol building. CAIR-Houston claimed RAIR is a hate group and encouraged Muslims across Texas to oppose RAIR. ⁴

In 2023, CAIR-Houston established the John T. Floyd Legal Fellowship for first- and second-year law students interested in practicing civil rights law. CAIR-Houston claimed the fellowship would provide students with experience in addressing Islamophobia. CAIR-Houston claimed they named the fellowship after former CAIR-Houston board chair John Floyd. ⁴

In May 2024, CAIR-Houston, along with the national Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) group, sued Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) on behalf of the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapters at the University of Houston and University of Texas at Dallas and the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). The suit alleged that Abbott’s Executive Order GA-44 violated the First Amendment by requiring public universities to take disciplinary action against students for using the slogan “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free.” ⁴

In June 2025, CAIR-Houston reposted a Facebook post from the national CAIR opposing an Arkansas law that replaces “West Bank” with “Judea and Samaria” in all official state language, a change that aligns with the Israeli-settler position on the disputed region. CAIR claimed the law “imposes a foreign ideological framework, erases Palestinian identity, and lends state authority to historical revisionism.” ⁴

Leadership

William White is the Executive Director at Council on American-Islamic Relations Texas-Houston (CAIR-Houston). ⁴ White previously worked in the Council on American-Islamic Relations network as Director of Operations at CAIR-Houston in 2022 and as the Government Affairs Manager at CAIR-Austin from 2020 to 2022. He is also the Founder and CEO of consulting firm SW Strategies.  ⁴

Rawan Harirah has been the President and Board Chair at CAIR-Houston since 2023.. She interned for CAIR-Houston before joining the board of directors in 2017 and served as board Secretary before being elected board chair. ⁴ Harirah also works as a Business Manager and Director of Visiting Education in the Office of the Provost at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). ^{5 6}

Finances

According to its 2023 tax return, the Council on American-Islamic Relations Texas (CAIR Texas), the parent group of CAIR Texas-Houston, reported $447,664 in total revenue, $319,484 in total expenses, and $540,830 in total assets. ⁷