Phoenix, Arizona — A Republican state lawmaker who has previously drawn condemnation for vulgar and Islamophobic remarks is again facing backlash after advancing legislation urging Congress to label the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights organization as a terrorist group.
Rep. John Gillette (R-Kingman) is sponsoring House Concurrent Memorial 2002, a symbolic measure that calls on the president and Congress to designate the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as a terrorist organization. The resolution would carry no legal force but is intended as a statement of legislative intent. The proposal was heard Wednesday before the Arizona House Committee on Federalism, Military Affairs and Elections, where public interest was so high that overflow rooms were required.
Many members of Arizona’s Muslim community attended the hearing to oppose the measure, arguing it fuels fear and discrimination rather than addressing legitimate security concerns. Gillette has previously claimed, without evidence, that Muslim immigrants are imposing Sharia law and that “Sharia courts” operate in Phoenix. Legal experts note that the U.S. Constitution prohibits religious courts, and any informal mediation bodies within religious communities are voluntary and nonbinding.
Supporters of the resolution cited a 2008 federal case involving the Holy Land Foundation, which resulted in convictions related to Hamas funding. Critics countered that CAIR was never charged in that case, despite being labeled an “unindicted co-conspirator,” a designation civil liberties groups say was never tested in court.
CAIR representatives warned lawmakers that branding a civil rights group as terrorist activity raises serious First Amendment concerns and could expose the state to litigation, citing similar legal challenges in Texas and Florida. Despite bipartisan discomfort voiced during the hearing, the measure advanced along party lines and now heads to the full Arizona House for consideration next.
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