Attor­ney Gen­er­al Ken Pax­ton Sues School Ille­gal­ly Oper­at­ing as ​“Tex­AM” for Offer­ing Unau­tho­rized Degrees and Mis­lead­ing Texans

Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed suit against Texas American Muslim University (“TexAM”) for unlawfully presenting itself as a university, offering degrees it is not authorized to grant, and misleading prospective students about its legitimacy. TexAM has never been issued the certificate of authority required to operate a private postsecondary institution in Texas. 

Despite lacking any authorization, TexAM has advertised bachelor’s and master’s programs, promoted a student campus in Richardson, and solicited students online and overseas. To make matters worse, the entity’s nonprofit corporate charter was forfeited in February 2026 and remains forfeited today. On May 6, 2026, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board issued TexAM a cease and desist letter—determining that TexAM is operating illegally, is prohibited from offering degrees, and is subject to civil penalties. 

Additionally, TexAM also adopted branding and a name “confusingly similar” to Texas A&M University. This prompted the Texas A&M University System to issue its own cease and desist letter demanding that TexAM stop misleading the public regarding any affiliation with the state’s flagship university.  

“TexAM has repeatedly disregarded Texas law, misrepresented its authority to grant degrees, and risked deceiving students about its legitimacy,” said Attorney General Paxton. “My office will not allow illegal, unaccredited degree mills to operate in Texas.” 

This lawsuit names TexAM and three defendants associated with its operations: Shahid A. Bajwa, Bilal Piracha, and Arsalan Shahzad. Attorney General Paxton is seeking to halt TexAM’s unauthorized operations, obtain injunctive relief, and recover civil penalties exceeding $1 million for violations of the DTPA and the Texas Education Code. To read the lawsuit, click here.