Last week, the City of Austin’s Equity and Inclusion department hosted a “Stop Muslim Hate” training session designed to help residents respond to instances of hate.
The city’s department partnered with CAIR-Austin, an affiliate of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which Gov. Greg Abbott designated as a foreign terrorist organization under state law in November 2025.
The Austin Equity and Inclusion (AEI) event was for a “Bystander Intervention Training,” session designed to introduce participants to the “experiences and challenges faced by Muslim communities, explores real case reports received by CAIR-Austin and teaches practical de-escalation and advocacy tools for supporting victims of hate.”
The AEI department was established in 2024 after the city consolidated its previous Equity Office with the Office of Civil Rights. The Office of Civil Rights is now part of the Office of Equity and Inclusion, according to the city.
According to city budget documents, Austin’s proposed $6.6 billion budget for fiscal year 2026-27 includes nearly $6.3 million for the Equity and Inclusion department. The city’s proposed budget also projects nearly $5.9 million for the department in fiscal year 2027-28. The city manager presented the $6.6 billion proposed budget in July.
The “Stop Muslim Hate” event is not the only training the department is offering. The department’s Facebook page also promoted additional “Bystander Intervention Training” sessions.
Other planned training topics include addressing hate against immigrants and refugees, Jewish people, Black people, and Asian people.
In addition the department will hold citizenship clinics throughout September. According to the city’s website, attendees will receive information about the naturalization process, and the first 50 participants will receive a free one-on-one assistance completing the N-400 application for naturalization.
The event comes amid recent controversies surrounding Islam-related issues in the Lone Star State.
In McKinney, a recent City Council meeting drew hundreds of residents who spoke in opposition to a proposed mosque relocation and expansion. The McKinney Islamic Association has proposed building a 37,000-square-foot facility on a 5-acre tract along Virginia Parkway that would include a mosque, educational spaces, a gymnasium and meeting rooms.
The McKinney City Council approved the proposal, and residents are now seeking to recall four members of the council.
Additionally, the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport recently came under scrutiny over plans to build additional wudu, or Islamic foot washing, stations for Muslim prayer rituals. After the plans were reported, the airport abandoned the project and Gov. Greg Abbott has called for an investigation.
