Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has sparked a significant new debate by signing an executive order that labels the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) a “foreign terrorist organization.” This move mirrors a similar step taken last month by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, intensifying the pressure on one of the nation’s leading Muslim civil rights groups.
CAIR, established in 1994 with chapters across the U.S., vehemently denies these accusations. Both DeSantis’s and Abbott’s orders claim CAIR has ties to Hamas, a Palestinian resistance group. However, CAIR firmly asserts it has no such connections, calling the executive orders “unconstitutional and defamatory.”
The consequences of Florida’s order are far-reaching. It mandates state agencies to prevent CAIR from securing any state contracts, employment, or funding. This action directly impacts the organization’s operational capacity and its ability to serve its community within Florida.
CAIR is not taking these challenges lightly. They have already launched a federal lawsuit against Texas’s order, arguing it’s an unconstitutional attempt to penalize the organization for its views. A separate lawsuit against Florida is also anticipated, setting the stage for a high-profile legal showdown.
It’s crucial to note that neither CAIR nor the Muslim Brotherhood (also mentioned in the orders) has been officially designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the U.S. government. While former President Donald Trump began steps to designate *certain international chapters* of the Muslim Brotherhood, these state-level designations by the governors remain unique and highly contentious. This developing situation highlights a growing tension between state executive authority and civil liberties, with CAIR at the center of this crucial legal battle.
