Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has made headlines by declaring two groups, the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), as foreign terrorist organizations within the state. This unusual move came through a post on the social media platform X.
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY
Florida is designating the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as foreign terrorist organizations.
Florida agencies are hereby directed to undertake all lawful measures to prevent unlawful activities by these… pic.twitter.com/2s48yYfEg7
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) December 8, 2025
CAIR responded swiftly, announcing plans to file a lawsuit against DeSantis, arguing that the governor’s actions are unconstitutional.
“The First Amendment does not allow him to do what he has done,” said Edward Ahmed Mitchell, CAIR’s national deputy director. “He cannot declare every civil rights group he disagrees with a terrorist group and try to ban them from state contracts. It’s illegal, it’s unconstitutional, and it cannot stand, so we will be taking legal action against him in the coming days, God willing.”
In a rare move for a state leader, DeSantis’ declaration directs Florida agencies to take lawful measures against these organizations. Typically, such designations are made at the federal level.
“Foreign terrorist organizations are designated by the U.S. State Department in coordination with the FBI and other national security and intelligence agencies,” said Richard Kolko, WINK News security analyst. “They go through a process, and when they determine that a group is a potential hazard to the United States, they are named to that list.”
This action mirrors a similar declaration made by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in November. CAIR has already filed a lawsuit against Abbott in response.
WINK News contacted the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for clarity on their directives following DeSantis’ declaration. Our reporters are waiting for a response.
