The state of Florida has officially branded the global Islamist movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the U.S. Muslim civil-rights and advocacy group CAIR as “foreign terrorist organisations” under state law, a move announced Monday by Governor Ron DeSantis. The executive order (EO 25-244), effective immediately, directs all Florida state agencies to cut off any material support to the two organisations: meaning no public contracts, employment, funds, or other state-provided benefits will be granted to individuals or entities linked to them.
In a press statement, DeSantis declared that the designation was necessary to “protect Floridians from the threat of radical Islamic terrorism,” referencing alleged historical ties between the Muslim Brotherhood and extremist groups abroad, including the founding of Hamas. He accused CAIR of being a U.S.-based affiliate of the Brotherhood — characterising CAIR as a “legal cover” rather than a legitimate civil-rights institution.
Under the order, relevant agencies including the state’s law-enforcement and domestic security units are mandated to undertake “all lawful measures” to prevent what the state labels as “unlawful activities” by the two organisations. The order also empowers the Domestic Security Oversight Council to conduct a broader review of the state’s security laws and recommend further action by 6 January 2026.
The reaction from CAIR and its Florida chapter was swift and forceful. In separate statements, they condemned the order as “defamatory, unconstitutional and Islamophobic,” asserting that neither the Muslim Brotherhood nor CAIR have ever been designated as terrorist organisations by the U.S. federal government — and that CAIR has no record of engaging in illegal activity. They announced plans to challenge the measure in court.
Legal and civil-liberties experts have raised serious concerns about the constitutionality and practical implications of Florida’s move. Under U.S. law, only the federal government — via the U.S. Secretary of State — has authority to designate foreign terrorist organisations in a way that triggers immigration controls, asset freezes, or criminal penalties. States have no such power. Critics warn that Florida’s designation could lead to sweeping restrictions on speech, assembly and association for American Muslims, and could represent legally precarious state-level overreach.
Observers note that this decision follows a similar step by Greg Abbott last month in the state of Texas placing CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood on a growing list of organisations targeted by state-level bans despite their lack of federal terrorism designation.
As litigation looms and civil-rights groups mobilise, the coming weeks will likely clarify whether Florida’s designation represents a lasting policy shift or a controversial legal test of the boundaries between state and federal authority on terrorism and religious freedom.