The Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced Tuesday that it will sue Gov. Ron DeSantis after the Republican governor issued an executive order designating the Muslim civil-rights group as a “foreign terrorist organization.”
Hiba Rahim, CAIR Florida’s deputy executive director, denounced the action during a news conference.
Rahim is calling the order conspiracy-driven and comparing it to past government targeting of Jewish, Irish, and Italian immigrant communities.
“We are very proud to defend the founding principles of our Constitution, to defend free speech,” Rahim said.
“We are proud to defend democracy, and we are proud to be America first.”
Rahim argued that DeSantis’ strong support for Israel influenced the designation, claiming CAIR’s activism had caused “discomfort” to America’s Middle Eastern ally.
She vowed the organization would not retreat.
DeSantis, speaking to reporters Tuesday, stood firmly behind his order and welcomed CAIR’s legal challenge.
He said his office had more than enough justification, calling the decision “a long time coming.”
The executive order also designates the Muslim Brotherhood as a “foreign terrorist” organization.
Last month, President Donald Trump issued a federal executive order launching a formal review process to consider designating certain Muslim Brotherhood chapters as foreign terrorist organizations.
DeSantis said he expects the Florida legislature to follow up with statutory measures when it reconvenes in January, describing his order as “the beginning.”
Under the directive, Florida state agencies are prohibited from contracting with, hiring, or providing funds to CAIR, the Muslim Brotherhood, or any entities found to have materially supported them.
At the Tampa press conference, attorney Miranda Margolis blasted the order, arguing that DeSantis overstepped his authority.
“This designation is without legal or factual basis and constitutes a dangerous escalation of anti-Muslim political rhetoric,” Margolis said.
Florida is the second state to take such action, following Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s designation of CAIR as a terrorist organization earlier this year.
CAIR is currently challenging that order in federal court, asserting it violates the Constitution and Texas law.
A coalition of Muslim and interfaith groups has called on Abbott to rescind it.
State-level terrorism designations carry no federal criminal authority; only the U.S. State Department can issue formal Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) classifications.
CAIR argues DeSantis’ order tramples First Amendment protections, violates due-process rights, and intrudes into federal jurisdiction.
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