CAIR sues Florida’s DeSantis for terror designation, again

The Council on American-Islamic Relations sued Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Thursday after his administration designated the Muslim civil rights organization as a terrorist entity for the second time. DeSantis placed CAIR on the state's terror list alongside the Muslim Brotherhood, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, drug cartel-linked groups, and Antifa. CAIR argues the designation violates its First and Fourteenth Amendment rights and could force the closure of its Florida operations by July 8, 2026.

CAIR, a nonprofit that promotes Islamic understanding and interfaith dialogue, faces criminal, civil, and administrative penalties under the designation. The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida and Southern Poverty Law Centre filed an emergency motion Friday seeking a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to block enforcement. CAIR stated the scheme requires no evidence and offers no recourse, subjecting the organization to "immediate and irreparable harm."