CAIR Halts Florida Operations After Court Upholds Designation
Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the suspension on Thursday following a federal ruling that rejected the group’s challenge to the state’s terrorist label.
By Samira Khalil ·
CAIR suspended its operations in Florida on Thursday, a move that follows a federal court decision upholding the state’s decision to label the group a domestic terrorist organization.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier made the announcement on the morning of November 5. He stated that a federal court rejected CAIR’s attempt to stop the designation in a separate legal case. The court order issued on Thursday directly addressed the group’s claims of viewpoint-based discrimination.
The designation stems from an executive order signed by Governor Ron DeSantis in December 2025. That order labeled both CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations. DeSantis cited convictions of individuals associated with CAIR for providing material support to designated terrorist groups.
CAIR, which describes itself as a Washington-based Islamic advocacy group, filed a lawsuit against DeSantis. The group argued that the designation violated the U.S. and Florida Constitutions. They also claimed the order was issued while CAIR opposed state motions aimed at suppressing speech supporting Palestinian human rights.
Legislators approved House Bill 1471 earlier this year. This law granted the executive director of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement the power to officially impose the terrorist designation on specific groups. The law also applied this authority to Antifa and the Muslim Brotherhood.
The new law includes several provisions affecting public institutions. It prohibits private schools in state scholarship programs from being owned or funded by designated terrorist groups. Public universities are barred from using state funds to support programs that advocate for these organizations. Students at public universities who promote a designated group must be immediately expelled and charged an out-of-state fee.
The FDLE director must provide written notice to the state Cabinet at least seven days before designating a group. The Cabinet then decides whether to approve or reject the move. If a group is designated, state and local agencies cannot expend funds or levy taxes to support it. Criminal penalties against the organization can also be enhanced.
The court order rejected CAIR’s argument that the designation targeted their speech. The judge wrote that because the designations are not directed at the group’s speech, the defendants did not exercise too much discretion over their expressive activity.
Critics, including the ACLU, have warned that the law includes vague standards without sufficient constitutional safeguards. Proponents, including DeSantis, argue the measure protects citizens by combatting radical terrorist ideologies.
The suspension of operations marks a shift for CAIR in the state. The group had previously challenged the designation in multiple legal forums. The federal court’s ruling on Thursday provided the final legal impetus for the suspension announced by Uthmeier.
