CAIR Florida plans to sue Governor Ron DeSantis after he labeled the organization a “foreign terrorist group” in an executive order, igniting a legal and political controversy.
The Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has announced its intention to file a lawsuit against Governor Ron DeSantis following his recent executive order that designates the Muslim civil rights organization as a “foreign terrorist organization.”
During a news conference, Hiba Rahim, the deputy executive director of CAIR Florida, described the governor’s order as an attack rooted in conspiracy theories. She drew parallels to historical efforts that targeted various immigrant communities in the United States, including Jewish, Irish, and Italian Americans.
“We are very proud to defend the founding principles of our Constitution, to defend free speech,” Rahim stated. “We are proud to defend democracy, and we are proud to be America first.”
Rahim further asserted that DeSantis’s support for Israel influenced the decision to label CAIR as a terrorist organization, claiming that the group’s activism had caused “discomfort” for the U.S. ally. She emphasized that CAIR does not intend to back down in the face of this designation.
In response, Governor DeSantis defended his executive order, asserting that his administration had sufficient grounds for the designation. He welcomed CAIR’s legal challenge, describing the action as “a long time coming.”
Alongside CAIR, DeSantis’s order also identifies the Muslim Brotherhood as a “foreign terrorist organization.” This move follows a recent executive order from former President Donald Trump, which initiated a federal process to consider designating certain chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood in a similar manner.
DeSantis indicated that he anticipates Florida lawmakers will pursue related legislation when the legislature reconvenes in January, calling the executive order “the beginning” of a broader initiative.
Under DeSantis’s directive, state agencies are prohibited from awarding contracts, employment, or funds to CAIR, the Muslim Brotherhood, or any organizations deemed to have materially supported them.
During the Tampa news conference, attorney Miranda Margolis criticized the executive order, arguing that DeSantis had overstepped his authority by unilaterally designating a nonprofit organization as a terrorist group.
“This designation is without legal or factual basis and constitutes a dangerous escalation of anti-Muslim political rhetoric,” Margolis stated.
Florida’s decision follows a similar proclamation made by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, which has also faced legal challenges from CAIR. The organization argues that Abbott’s designation violates both the U.S. Constitution and Texas law. Muslim and interfaith organizations in Texas have urged Abbott to rescind his order.
It is important to note that state-level designations do not carry the same legal weight as federal Foreign Terrorist Organization classifications, which can only be issued by the U.S. State Department.
CAIR contends that the Florida executive order infringes upon its First Amendment rights and due-process protections, asserting that terrorism designations should fall under federal jurisdiction rather than state power.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.