&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared CAIR, a 'foreign terrorist organisation'")
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Monday (December 8) issued an executive order labeling the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), one of the nation’s largest Muslim civil-rights groups, as a “foreign terrorist organization.” The order, posted on his X account, applies the same designation to the Muslim Brotherhood.
The US government does not classify either CAIR or the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations. Under DeSantis’ directive, Florida state agencies must block both groups, and anyone who has materially supported them, from receiving state funds, contracts, or employment through executive-branch or cabinet-level agencies.
In his post on X, DeSantis wrote, “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 organizations, including denying privileges or resources to anyone providing material support.”
See the post by Florida Governor here
In a joint statement sent by email, CAIR and its Florida chapter said they intend to file a lawsuit, calling DeSantis’ order unconstitutional and defamatory. CAIR, founded in 1994, now operates 25 chapters nationwide. The announcement comes weeks after CAIR challenged a similar proclamation issued by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. In a federal lawsuit, the organisation argued the Texas order violates the Constitution and is unsupported by state law.
The Muslim Brotherhood, founded nearly 100 years ago in Egypt and now present in various countries, has long said it abandoned violence and aims to achieve political influence through elections and peaceful activism. However, many authoritarian governments in the Middle East regard the group as a destabilising force.
