Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) issued an executive order on Monday designating the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as foreign terrorist organizations within the state.
The order, effective immediately, instructs Florida agencies to deny privileges, resources or support to individuals providing material assistance to the groups.
The executive order cites the Muslim Brotherhood’s decades-long history of supporting violence and its role in founding Hamas in 1987, which the U.S. government designated as a foreign terrorist organization in 1997.
The October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas, which killed roughly 1,200 people, are also referenced as context for the designation.
CAIR, established in 1994 by U.S.-based affiliates of the Muslim Brotherhood, is named due to connections highlighted in the Holy Land Foundation case, where the organization was listed as an unindicted co-conspirator.
“Florida agencies are hereby directed to undertake all lawful measures to prevent unlawful activities by these organizations,” DeSantis said, emphasizing the state’s duty to protect residents and prevent material support for entities linked to terrorism.
The governor’s directive mirrors action taken by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott last month, who previously designated CAIR’s Texas chapter as a terrorist organization, The Blaze notes.
CAIR immediately announced plans to challenge the order in court. The organization criticized the designation as unconstitutional and defamatory, accusing the governor of prioritizing foreign interests over Floridians.
In a joint statement, CAIR’s national and Florida chapters contended that the move targets civil rights advocacy and silences Americans critical of U.S. support for Israel.
DeSantis addressed the potential lawsuit briefly, noting that the executive order has significant financial implications.
“You know, a lot of it’s financial, there’s no question, a lot of it is financial. That’s why I think a lawsuit is something we very much welcome,” he said, according to WSVN.
The governor added that the state legislature may consider strengthening Florida’s legal framework to prevent support for organizations with alleged extremist links.
Florida officials say the designation is necessary to prevent state resources from being used to support entities with violent affiliations and to stop any material assistance to groups tied to terrorism, while remaining within lawful measures.
Conservative commentators have praised DeSantis’ move as a proactive step in safeguarding national security and preventing taxpayer dollars from aiding organizations with connections to violence.
Many note that the order aligns with broader Republican efforts to hold organizations accountable for links to extremist networks.
While CAIR emphasizes its mission of civil rights advocacy for American Muslims, Florida officials maintain that the designation addresses potential threats at the state level.
The forthcoming lawsuit is expected to challenge the limits of state authority in labeling organizations as terrorist entities, raising questions about constitutional protections and the interplay between civil liberties and national security.
The executive order represents a continuation of state-level initiatives aimed at preventing domestic support for international terrorist networks.
As legal proceedings unfold, the case will likely test the boundaries of state power and examine how far governors can go in restricting resources for groups with alleged foreign terrorist affiliations.
