DeSantis Declares CAIR a Terrorist Organization in Florida/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has declared the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) a “foreign terrorist organization” through an executive order. CAIR, which is not classified as such by the U.S. government, plans legal action against the state. The order also targets the Muslim Brotherhood and restricts state engagement with both groups.
DeSantis Terrorist Designation of CAIR: Quick Looks
- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis labeled CAIR a “foreign terrorist organization.”
- The Muslim Brotherhood also received the same designation in Florida.
- The federal government does not classify either group as terrorist organizations.
- DeSantis issued the designation via an executive order on social media.
- The order bars state agencies from engaging with or funding either group.
- CAIR and its Florida chapter called the move unconstitutional and defamatory.
- The organization plans to sue DeSantis over the executive action.
- CAIR has 25 chapters and was founded in 1994 to advocate for Muslim rights.
- Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a similar proclamation in November.
- Legal experts expect the order to face significant constitutional challenges.
DeSantis Declares CAIR a Terrorist Organization in Florida
Deep Look
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has issued a sweeping executive order declaring the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)—one of the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organizations in the United States—a “foreign terrorist organization.” The move, announced Monday via DeSantis’ official account on the social media platform X, extends similar actions taken last month by Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
DeSantis’s order also includes the Muslim Brotherhood, a global Islamic political movement, under the same designation. However, it’s important to note that neither CAIR nor the Muslim Brotherhood is currently classified as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department or any federal authority.
The executive order directs Florida state agencies to cut off any employment, contracts, or funding for CAIR, the Muslim Brotherhood, or individuals or entities who have provided “material support” to either group. This sweeping measure could affect partnerships, community programs, and advocacy efforts across the state.
Founded in 1994, CAIR operates 25 chapters nationwide and has long been involved in legal, civil rights, and educational advocacy for American Muslims. In response to the executive order, CAIR’s national and Florida chapters issued a joint statement announcing plans to sue Governor DeSantis. They called the designation both “unconstitutional” and “defamatory,” arguing it violates their civil liberties and undermines their work.
“The governor’s actions are a political stunt that not only misrepresents our mission but attacks the civil rights of millions of American Muslims,” the statement said.
This isn’t the first time CAIR has taken legal action against a state government for similar accusations. In November, CAIR filed a federal lawsuit challenging Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s proclamation labeling the organization as a terrorist group. That lawsuit argued the proclamation violates constitutional protections and lacks any legal basis under Texas law.
CAIR’s legal team is expected to file a similar challenge in Florida, potentially setting up a significant legal showdown that could test the boundaries of state power and constitutional protections for advocacy organizations.
The Muslim Brotherhood, founded nearly 100 years ago in Egypt, has long been a subject of international controversy. Though the group claims to advocate for establishing Islamic governance through peaceful, democratic means, critics—especially authoritarian governments in the Middle East—view it as a destabilizing force. Some regimes have outlawed the group entirely, accusing it of fostering extremism, though its leaders have denied these claims and say the movement abandoned violent methods decades ago.
The decision by DeSantis to include both CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood under the same terrorist designation could carry broader implications, not just for civil rights organizations, but also for how state governments interact with national and international advocacy groups.
Legal scholars and civil liberties advocates have expressed concern that these state-level proclamations set a dangerous precedent by assigning labels typically reserved for federal intelligence and law enforcement agencies. Without federal support, such designations could be symbolic but carry tangible consequences if used to restrict rights or public engagement.
DeSantis, who has built a national profile as a hardline conservative and potential presidential contender, has repeatedly aligned his administration with controversial decisions on cultural and religious issues. Critics argue this latest move is aimed at rallying his political base rather than addressing any substantiated threat to state security.
CAIR’s national leadership emphasized that it has never been investigated or designated by federal authorities and maintains its focus on promoting civil rights, combating discrimination, and supporting Muslim communities through lawful means.
As legal challenges begin to unfold, the broader debate surrounding the order is expected to grow—raising questions about religious freedom, freedom of association, and the appropriate boundaries of executive power at the state level.
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