Austin proclaims CARE Austin Day as CAIR Austin representative criticizes governor's proclamation

Councilmember Crystal Lane presented a proclamation recognizing CARE Austin for civil‑rights work and civic engagement, noting the declaration was made on behalf of Mayor Kirk Watson and the full council. "I, council member Crystal Lane, on behalf of mayor Kirk Watson and the entire city council, do hereby proclaim 01/26/2026 as Care Austin Day in Austin, Texas," Lane read.

Shayma Zayan, operations manager with the Council on American‑Islamic Relations (CAIR) Austin, addressed the council and framed the proclamation as meaningful for Muslim residents locally and statewide. Zayan criticized a Nov. 18 governor's proclamation that she said labeled CAIR a "foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organization," and said the order has been used "to silence, harm, and discriminate against our whole Muslim community." "Whether it's the school voucher program that Islamic accredited private schools will not qualify for, or the Muslim youth group denied the right to rent public schools facilities... the list goes on," Zayan said.

Councilmember Crystal Lane reiterated the city’s commitment to inclusion and said CARE Austin’s work is vital to community well‑being. "The work of Care Austin is vital to the health and well‑being of so many people here in Austin," Lane said.

Why it matters: The proclamation recognizes a local civil‑rights and civic‑engagement group and occurred in the context of an ongoing dispute over a governor's proclamation that local speakers say is harming Muslim Americans in Texas. The criticism from CAIR Austin raises questions about how state actions intersect with local civic life; the council's proclamation is symbolic recognition rather than a policy change.

The council declared the proclamation; no formal vote or committee action on the governor's proclamation was recorded at the meeting.