On September 29, 2026, Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis and his administration designated several groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), as domestic terrorist organizations. This move follows previous actions by Texas and Florida that labeled these groups as foreign terrorist organizations.
The designation was accompanied by a 427-page document that asserts that CAIR is involved in terrorist activities and has ties to Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Along with CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood, Florida now labels al-Qaeda, the Houthis, and the Continuity Irish Republican Army as foreign terrorist organizations.
The state also recently classified the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, two Mexican drug cartels, and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as foreign terrorist organizations.
CAIR has responded by suing Florida, arguing that the designation violates the First Amendment and the due process clause of the 14th Amendment. Hina Shamsi, director of the ACLU's national security project, criticized the lack of evidence for CAIR's involvement in any violent acts.
The ACLU is representing CAIR in this lawsuit, with plans to file a motion seeking a preliminary injunction to block the designation.
The designations are set to take effect on November 5 unless they are blocked by a court.
Florida's designation of these groups as domestic terrorists has sparked significant legal challenges and public debate over civil rights and national security. The outcome of CAIR's lawsuit could impact how such designations are implemented in the future.
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