Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed an executive order on Monday designating the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations, making Florida the second state to take such action against the nation's largest Muslim civil rights organization.
The move comes one month after Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a similar designation. Last month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the State Department and Treasury Department to review Muslim Brotherhood chapters in the Middle East for potential designation as foreign terrorist organizations. The order does not designate any U.S.-based organizations. Neither CAIR nor the Muslim Brotherhood is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government, which has sole authority over federal terrorism designations.
The executive order instructs Florida agencies to deny both organizations contracts, funding and other state benefits.
The order cites CAIR's designation as an unindicted co-conspirator by the U.S. government in what it describes as the largest terrorism-financing case in American history.
It states a court found "ample evidence to establish the association" of CAIR with terrorist organizations and that "individuals associated with CAIR have been convicted of providing, and conspiring to provide, material support to designated terrorist organizations." CAIR-Florida Interim Executive Director Hiba Rahim rejected the designation at a press conference in Tampa on Tuesday.
"To our governor, your designation has no basis in law or fact," Rahim said. "You do not have the constitutional authority to unilaterally declare any American or an American institution a foreign terrorist group. Nor is there any basis to level the smear against our organization."
Founded in 1994, CAIR describes itself as a Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization with chapters in multiple states. The group has consistently denied links to terrorism and maintains its mission is to protect the constitutional rights of American Muslims.
CAIR is challenging Texas's classification in court and has sent an official letter to DeSantis. CAIR-Florida said the organization is currently reviewing its legal options.
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