Full Breakdown
Florida Gov. DeSantis Uses New Law to Label CAIR, Muslim Brotherhood, Antifa and 90+ Groups as Terrorist
7/3/2026, 5:48:54 AM
Announcement and Legal Framework
On July 2 2026 Governor Ron DeSantis announced that Florida will use House Bill 1471 (HB 1471) to label the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Muslim Brotherhood and Antifa as terrorist organizations. The process requires a recommendation from FDLE’s chief of domestic security and approval by a majority of the governor and the three-member Cabinet. Recommendations also include 90 foreign groups, such as Cartel de Sinaloa, Tren de Aragua, Cartel del Noreste, Cartel del Golfo and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). HB 1471, passed in 2026, expands a December executive order that barred public support for groups deemed to promote “radical terrorist ideologies.” A March 2026 federal injunction halted that order, finding it exceeded the governor’s authority.
Official Statements & Responses
DeSantis said the law provides “permanent statutory tools to combat terrorism while defending the Constitutional rights of our citizens.” FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass said “identifying the threat” strengthens community safety. The governor warned that, after Cabinet approval, state agencies will be barred from funding or contracting with the designated groups and material-support offenses carry criminal penalties.
Criticism & Opposition
CAIR and the ACLU claim the designations violate First Amendment rights. CAIR says it “has not engaged in terrorist activity” and calls the move “baseless.” ACLU director Hina Shamsi called the designations “both dire and unmoored from reality.” Democrats warn the broad “promotion” definition could lead to student expulsions without due process.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
HB 1471 designations differ from federal foreign terrorist organization listings made by the U.S. Department of State. Federal authorities have not labeled CAIR as a terrorist group, and no charges exist. The law’s vague “promotion” standard leaves its application uncertain.
Why It Matters
If approved, the law will bar public schools, colleges and universities from supporting the designated groups, restrict scholarship use and impose criminal penalties for material support, raising constitutional concerns over free speech, religious liberty and due-process.
What’s Next
CAIR, the ACLU and other plaintiffs have filed injunction lawsuits; the Cabinet’s vote, expected within days, will decide if the designations become enforceable, after which courts will likely assess the law’s compatibility with federal constitutional protections.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Today, we are officially designating terrorist organizations under Florida law.” — Ron DeSantis, Governor of Florida
- “Even though I don't like antifa's ideas, I mean, they're militant leftists,” — Ron DeSantis, Governor of Florida
- “Keeping our community safe starts with identifying the threat,” — Mark Glass, FDLE Commissioner
- “Florida’s imminent designation of our clients is both dire and unmoored from reality. CAIR and CAIR-Florida’s speech and advocacy are protected by the First Amendment, which includes their right to criticize the governor, other officials, and their policies. We’re asking the court to protect our clients’ cardinal freedoms,” — Hina Shamsi, Director, ACLU National Security Project
- “The question before this Court is whether the Governor can, in a non-emergency situation, unilaterally designate one of the largest Muslim civil rights groups in America as a ‘terrorist organization’ and withhold government benefits from anyone providing material support or resources to the group,” — Judge Mark Walker, U.S. District Court
