California Funding of CAIR-CA Faces Scrutiny Over Alleged Hamas Links

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has allocated at least $41 million to the state affiliate of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) over the past five years. Grants include $7.2 million in 2022 for immigration-related legal assistance, $23 million in September 2025, and additional sub-grant distributions to partner organizations. A Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation into the group’s finances and alleged connections to Hamas began in early 2025.

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CAIR was founded in 1994 by Omar Ahmad and Nihad Awad, both previously active in the U.S.-based Palestine Committee of the Muslim Brotherhood, which a George Washington University report described as “effectively became the US-based Hamas infrastructure.” During the 2007 Holy Land Foundation trial, the court found “ample evidence to establish” an association between CAIR and Hamas, and an FBI special agent testified that CAIR functioned as a “front group for Hamas.”

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• Omar Ahmad – Co-founder, former national chairman of CAIR.

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• Nihad Awad – Co-founder, current national executive director of CAIR.

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• Zahra Billoo – Executive director of CAIR’s San Francisco office.

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• Hussam Ayloush – CEO of CAIR-CA, author of a 2026 letter to a congressional subcommittee.

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• Lara Burns – Former FBI special agent, lead investigator on the Holy Land Foundation case.

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• Muslim American Society (MAS), Islamic Society of Orange County (ISOC), Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) – Recipients of CAIR-CA sub-grants.

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CAIR-CA’s IRS filings for 2024 show $4 million in sub-grants to 39 organizations, including roughly $185 000 to MAS chapters, $30 000 to ISOC, and $117 000 to ICNA relief chapters. The organization reported assistance to “dozens of Afghan families,” though CDSS records did not confirm the total number of legal cases handled under the grant.

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CAIR-CA’s spokesperson asserted that “all contributions and grants … are fully reported, accounted for, and used strictly for their intended purposes,” emphasizing internal and external audits. CDSS officials stated they “review and authorize all … sub-grantees,” while the DOJ confirmed that an investigation into CAIR-CA’s financial practices was underway.

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Lara Burns argued that CAIR’s role “was to operate an entity … to defend the interests of the rest of the network—against scrutiny from the media, against scrutiny from law enforcement.” The Intelligent Advocacy Network (IAN) has called for a forensic audit, citing concerns about “financial misconduct, compliance breaches, and support for terrorism.” Texas and Florida governors have designated CAIR as a terrorist organization.

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CDSS has not released documentation confirming its approval of the specific sub-grants, yet Ayloush’s signature appears on each contract, suggesting CAIR-CA exercised discretion. Additionally, the number of legal cases served under the immigration grant remains unverified, creating a gap between reported outcomes and documented performance.

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• “You can’t look at what CAIR is doing today in isolation,” — Lara Burns, former FBI Special Agent

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• “We are witnessing decolonization.” — Zahra Billoo, executive director, CAIR San Francisco

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• “All contributions and grants that CAIR California receives are fully reported, accounted for, and used strictly for their intended purposes,” — CAIR-CA spokesperson

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• “Ayloush personally signed every one of these ALSP [Afghan Legal Services Project] grants as executive director of CAIR-LA,” — Spokesperson, Network Contagion Research Institute & IAN

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• “had no input or role” in determining the sub-grantees. — Hussam Ayloush, letter to congressional subcommittee

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Legal analysts note that revoking CAIR-CA’s accreditation with the Executive Office for Immigration Review would halt its receipt of federal immigration funds. Such a step, if taken by the Trump administration or subsequent federal authorities, could significantly reduce state-funded support for the organization.

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