CAIR, founded in 1994, had the mission of fighting anti-Muslim discrimination in the US by trying to inform and educate the public about Islam.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim civil rights nonprofit based in Washington, DC, and operating in about 20 states, aims, according to the organization, to “enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.”

CAIR was founded in 1994 with the mission of fighting anti-Muslim discrimination in the US by creating initiatives to educate and inform the public about Islam and combating Islamophobia. Yet, all three of the founders have alleged ties to terrorism.

During the course of its roughly 30 years of existence, CAIR has promoted itself as standing up for the rights of Muslims in America, but it has also faced extensive criticism over ties to extremist movements and ideologies. According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), “key CAIR leaders often traffic in openly antisemitic and anti-Zionist rhetoric.”

During the past years, as the Israel-Hamas War grabbed global attention, CAIR has come into the spotlight for its involvement in pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel advocacy.

In the lead-up to the November New York City mayoral election, Muslim-American activist Linda Sarsour claimed that CAIR was a main backer of Zohran Mamdani’s winning campaign. The Washington Free Beacon reported that Mamdani’s campaign received $100,000 from a CAIR-affiliated PAC.

Mamdani has been accused by many Jewish and pro-Israel organizations of holding antisemitic positions, including defending calls to “globalize the intifada” and a refusal to recognize Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state.

CAIR is organized by state, with about 32 chapters across the US. On its website, it lists work in civil rights, media, countering Islamophobia, and youth work as some of its current initiatives.

According to CAIR, the organization “provides legal representation on behalf of Muslims and others who have experienced religious discrimination, defamation or hate crimes.”

Earlier this year, CAIR-MI filed a lawsuit against the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office in Michigan on behalf of a Muslim woman who was forced to remove her hijab during her booking.