A Republican senator, Tom Cotton, is urging the Internal Revenue Service to investigate the Council on American-Islamic Relations for potential violations of its tax-exempt status, citing “ties to terror organizations.”

The Arkansas senator cited alleged ties between CAIR and organizations such as Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood in a letter sent Tuesday to the IRS commissioner, Billy Long, which was obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.

“The IRS has broad authority to examine whether an entity’s operations align with its exempt purpose,” Mr. Cotton wrote in his letter. “Tax-exempt status is a privilege, not a right, and it should not subsidize organizations with links to terrorism.”

CAIR, known as a prominent anti-Israel advocacy organization, has faced longstanding accusations of financial entanglement with Hamas. It was previously named as an unindicted co-conspirator in a 2009 federal court terrorism financing case. The group has since gained attention for its role in advocating pro-Hamas stances on college campuses, particularly in the wake of Hamas’s attacks on October 7, 2023.

Mr. Cotton, chairman of the Senate’s Select Committee on Intelligence, argued that CAIR’s “deep ties to terrorist organizations” necessitate immediate action from the IRS. He requested a comprehensive review of CAIR’s “financial records, affiliations, and activities” to determine whether the group complies with section 501(c)(3) of the tax code, which outlines regulations for nonprofit organizations.

While CAIR’s funding sources have previously attracted congressional scrutiny, this marks the first formal request from a leading Republican senator for an IRS investigation into the group since the October 7 attacks by Hamas in Israel, which left nearly 1,200 dead.  

The senator also referred to findings from the 2009 government investigation, which disclosed instances where CAIR’s founders were reportedly involved in a Philadelphia meeting with Hamas supporters. The meeting allegedly included discussions on advancing an Islamist agenda in America while obscuring affiliations with Hamas. A founder of CAIR’s Texas chapter was later sentenced to 65 years in prison as a result of that case.

“CAIR purports to be a civil rights organization dedicated to protecting the rights of American Muslims,” Mr. Cotton wrote. “But substantial evidence confirms CAIR has deep ties to terrorist organizations. In fact, in the largest terrorism-financing case in U.S. history, CAIR was listed as a member of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Palestine Committee. Government exhibits from the trial revealed that CAIR’s founders participated in a meeting of Hamas supporters in Philadelphia, where they discussed strategies to advance the Islamist agenda in America while concealing their true affiliations.”

CAIR’s actions have continued to raise concerns, Mr. Cotton wrote. Following Hamas’s October 7 attack, CAIR’s executive director, Nihad Awad, expressed support for Palestinians in Gaza “breaking the siege” during comments that drew sharp rebukes. “Yes, the people of Gaza have the right to self-defense, have the right to defend themselves. And yes, Israel as an occupying power does not have that right to self-defense,” Mr. Awad said.

The remarks prompted the Biden administration to sever ties with CAIR, having previously selected the group for an executive body focused on combating antisemitism.

Mr. Awad’s associations have also drawn scrutiny from organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League, which alleges that CAIR is “openly antisemitic and anti-Zionist.” The ADL has reported that Mr. Awad met with members of the Muslim Brotherhood as recently as 2022. In April 2024, he also wrote a Facebook tribute to Sheikh Abdul-Majid al-Zindani, who the United States designates as a recruiter and fundraiser for Al Qaeda.

Mr. Cotton emphasized in his letter the importance of compliance for nonprofit organizations, adding that such groups must “operate exclusively for charitable, educational, or religious purposes, and are prohibited from providing material support to terrorism.”