The Council on American-Islamic Relations, known as CAIR, has sued Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis over his order designating it and another organization as a “ foreign terrorist organization.”

The order by DeSantis last week also gives the same “foreign terrorist” label to the Muslim Brotherhood, a pan-Arab Islamist political movement.

President Donald Trump last month issued an executive order that sets in motion a process to designate certain chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization.

The Governor’s order instructs Florida agencies to prevent the two groups and those who have provided them material support from receiving contracts, employment and funds from a state executive or cabinet agency.

CAIR, a leading Muslim civil rights group in the US, has more than 20 chapters across the United States and its work involves legal actions, advocacy and education outreach.

The lawsuit was filed by the CAIR-Foundation and CAIR-Florida, its affiliate in the state. The suit asked a federal judge in Tallahassee to declare DeSantis’ order unlawful and unconstitutional and prevent it from being enforced.

The lawsuit says that DeSantis has “usurped the exclusive authority of the federal government to identify and designate terrorist organizations by baselessly declaring CAIR a terrorist organization.”

CAIR said in the lawsuit that it was targeted by DeSantis for defending the free speech rights of people in cases in which state officials and officials elsewhere had tried to punish or silence those who had expressed support for Palestinian human rights.

Florida has an estimated 500,000 Muslim residents, according to CAIR.

CAIR-Florida had promised a lawsuit with Hiba Rahim, the Florida chapter’s Deputy Executive Director, saying at a news conference in Tampa last week that the Governor’s executive order against the Council on American-Islamic Relations was an attack based on conspiracy theories, similar to those aimed in past decades at other minority groups like Jewish, Irish and Italian Americans that created fear and division.

“We are very proud to defend the founding principles of our Constitution, to defend free speech. We are proud to defend democracy, and we are proud to be America first.”
Hiba Rahim

Rahim blamed DeSantis’ support for Israel as a reason for the executive order because she said the group’s activism had caused “discomfort” to Israel.

In October, the group played an active role in advocating for the release of a 16-year-old Palestinian-American from Florida who had been held in an Israeli prison for eight months. Mohammed Ibrahim was released last month.

DeSantis Looks Forward To Trial

The Governor’s Press Secretary, Molly Best, referred to DeSantis’ recent social media posts on the topic, in which he said he looked forward to a trial, when reached by email for comment.

In one post, DeSantis said, “I look forward to discovery — especially the CAIR finances. Should be illuminating!”

Last week, DeSantis doubled down on his administration’s decision to label the Muslim civil rights group a “foreign terrorist organization” when questioned by reporters at a press event in North Miami Beach.

DeSantis said, “I welcome the lawsuit,” calling the designation “a long time coming.”

The Governor also said that he expects state lawmakers to push “follow-on legislation” on the issue during the regular session that starts in January. “So I think our executive order is kind of the beginning,” he said.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued a similar proclamation in Texas. CAIR last month asked a federal judge to strike down Abbott’s proclamation, saying in a lawsuit that it was “not only contrary to the United States Constitution, but finds no support in any Texas law.”