The state of Washington has directed more than a million taxpayer dollars to the Council on American-Islamic Relations of Washington State (CAIR-WA) since January 2023, according to a Daily Wire review of state fiscal records and contract documents.

The funding, sourced from the Afghanistan Supplemental Appropriations Act, was allocated to assist Afghan refugees resettled in the United States following the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan. The disbursements have significantly increased the organization's operational capacity, with CAIR-WA reporting a growth from six employees in 2020 to a projected staff of twenty by 2026.

The financial relationship between Washington state and CAIR-WA has drawn scrutiny due to the national organization’s history with the Department of Justice and recent actions by other state leaders. In 2008, the Justice Department identified CAIR as an “unindicted co-conspirator” in the Holy Land Foundation trial, a case involving a Hamas fundraising network. In late 2025, the governors of Texas and Florida issued declarations designating CAIR as a terrorist organization, citing these historical ties and ongoing concerns about the group’s ideological alignment.

What the Right Is Saying

Conservative officials and commentators have criticized the use of taxpayer dollars for an organization with alleged ties to radical Islamist movements. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) argued in a 2025 congressional hearing that CAIR was founded to support the Muslim Brotherhood. “Many people associated with CAIR have actively aided terrorism and criminal efforts,” Cruz stated. The declaration of CAIR as a terrorist organization by Texas and Florida governors reflects a broader conservative effort to restrict state resources from groups viewed as sympathetic to Hamas.

Critics also point to statements made by CAIR’s cofounder and executive director, Nihad Awad, who said he was “happy to see” the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. This comment led the Biden administration to remove CAIR from its “Combat Antisemitism” working group. The recent shooting of two National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C., by an Afghan national who entered the U.S. through the same resettlement program CAIR assists has further intensified scrutiny of the vetting process and the organizations involved in refugee support.

What the Left Is Saying

CAIR representatives maintain that the national organization does not receive direct funding from the federal government and that state-level contracts for specific social services are distinct from ideological affiliations. A CAIR spokesman stated that efforts to link the group to the Muslim Brotherhood are “pure McCarthyism.” The organization’s website asserts that CAIR “has always condemned violence against civilians — including on October 7th,” referencing the Hamas attack on Israel.

CAIR-WA Executive Director Imraan Siddiqi highlighted the mission’s importance in the organization’s 2025 annual report, noting the need for legal support for refugees. “When I arrived here in December 2020, we had a team of 6 employees,” Siddiqi wrote. “Fast forward to the present day, where we are on our way to reaching 20 staff members in 2026.” The group plans to expand its services by hiring a deportation defense attorney and a detention intake coordinator, arguing that these roles are necessary to address “unjust cases of detention” faced by immigrant communities.

What the Numbers Show

According to Washington state fiscal transparency records, CAIR-WA received $1,286,859 from the state since January 2023. The total amount of federal funds made available to the chapter was $1,351,897.67. The contract with the Washington Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), signed in July 2022 and extended through September 2026, stipulated that CAIR-WA would provide “Direct Immigration-Related Legal Services” for Afghan immigrants. Approximately 90% of the funding was allotted for services and administrative costs, including salaries for immigration attorneys and administrative staff.

CAIR-WA’s financial filings show that the state funds constitute a significant portion of its revenue. In 2023, the chapter received $406,150 from DSHS, accounting for over 35% of its total reported yearly revenue of $1,154,807. In 2024, it received $429,917 from the state, representing over 30% of its total revenue of $1,416,078. The organization’s 2023, 2024, and 2025 annual reports identified “salaries and benefits for our incredible staff” as its “largest expense by far.” Additionally, a September 2026 report from the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General found a 40% error rate in the adjudication of asylum files for the “Operation Allies Welcome” program, citing incomplete documentation and missed aliases.

The Bottom Line

The allocation of federal refugee resettlement funds to CAIR-WA remains a point of contention between state agencies managing humanitarian services and political figures questioning the ideological vetting of grant recipients. With the contract extending through September 2026, Washington state continues to fund CAIR-WA’s legal and intake services for Afghan refugees, despite the national organization’s past legal designations and the recent terrorist organization declarations by other states. The upcoming fiscal reports will likely reveal further details on how the funds are utilized as CAIR-WA expands its staff and service offerings in response to increased demand for immigration legal aid.