Federal Court Upholds Florida Designation of CAIR as Terror Group
A federal court in Florida has upheld the state's designation of CAIR as a domestic terrorist organization, prompting the group to suspend operations. The ruling stems from a broader crackdown by Governor Ron DeSantis against extremist groups.
A federal court in Florida has rejected a request by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) to block its designation as a domestic terrorist organization, keeping the measure in place amid a broader crackdown by Governor Ron DeSantis. Following the ruling, the organization announced it would suspend its operations in the state and appeal the decision.
The ruling was handed down by U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor, who denied the motion to freeze the state designation while granting CAIR limited and temporary legal protection concerning the provision of legal services. Florida authorities welcomed the decision, hailing it as a significant milestone in their counter-terrorism efforts.
Legislative Framework and Broader Crackdown
The designation relies on newly enacted Florida legislation empowering the state to designate entities as domestic terrorist organizations and impose severe operational restrictions. These measures include blocking public funding, cutting off state institutional ties, and enforcing strict sanctions for material support. Alongside CAIR, Florida has targeted the Muslim Brotherhood and Antifa under the same framework.
These state-level actions follow similar initiatives in Texas, where Governor Greg Abbott designated CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal groups in November 2025. Abbott cited efforts to destabilize the region and promote Sharia law, accusations that CAIR dismissed as baseless smears.
Federal Actions and Controversies
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in November 2025 directing authorities to evaluate foreign terrorist designations for Muslim Brotherhood branches in Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan. Florida subsequently advanced its own state-level measures, leading to ongoing legal battles over constitutional rights and government overreach.
CAIR presents itself as a civil rights organization defending Muslim Americans against discrimination, but critics and investigators have long alleged ties to extremist groups. In Israel, the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism urged the Defense Ministry in November 2025 to sever any indirect ties, citing research alleging deep connections between CAIR and Hamas, as well as leadership statements supporting the October 7 attacks. CAIR has consistently denied all allegations of terrorism links.
