Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet approved the designation of more than 100 organizations as terrorist organizations in Florida, including Antifa, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), CAIR-Florida and the Muslim Brotherhood.
The move comes as CAIR and CAIR-Florida challenge the law in court, arguing that it violates First Amendment rights and lacks adequate procedural safeguards.
The American Civil Liberties Union said CAIR was not given an opportunity to be heard before the Cabinet vote and said the designation is expected to take effect Nov. 5 unless blocked by a court.
While most of the media focus has been on the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) designation, some 100+ organizations, including the Marxist-Anarchist group ANTIFA, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and a long list of drug cartels were also designated.
The designations were recommended by Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass under a new state law that gives the chief of domestic security authority to designate domestic or foreign terrorist organizations if certain statutory requirements are met.
Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 1471 on April 6, 2026, the legislation strengthens protections against the application of foreign and religious laws—including Sharia law—that violate constitutional rights and establishing new safeguards against terrorist organizations operating in Florida.
“To uphold the rule of law, our state must operate under one legal system, the Constitution must remain the law of the land, and we must defend our institutions from those who would harm us—especially terrorist organizations that seek to infiltrate and subvert our education system,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “HB 1471 reinforces these principles in Florida, and I was proud to sign it into law today.”
The legislation, now Ch. 2026-28, Laws of Florida:
- Establishes a formal terrorist designation process through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
- Prevents taxpayer-funded institutions from supporting or promoting designated terrorist organizations.
- Ensures foreign or religious legal codes cannot override the United States or Florida Constitutions in Florida courts.
- Creates state enforcement mechanisms and criminal penalties for providing material support to designated terrorist organizations.
- Under the new law, the Governor and Cabinet may designate terrorist organizations based upon recommendations from the Chief of Domestic
- Security within the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The framework allows Florida to recognize federally designated Foreign
- Terrorist Organizations while also identifying additional organizations that threaten the safety and security of Floridians.
Under Gov. DeSantis Florida has taken a consistent approach to protecting its institutions and residents from foreign influence and emerging threats. In December, Governor DeSantis signed an executive order directing state agencies to take all lawful measures to prevent unlawful activity by terrorist organizations, including denying contracts, funding, and other benefits to those providing material support. The state has also strengthened oversight of foreign influence in education, prohibited partnerships with foreign adversaries tied to state institutions, and expanded law enforcement tools to respond to evolving threats.
As has been well documented, CAIR was listed as an “unindicted co-conspirator” in U.S. v. Holy Land Foundation (HLF) for Relief & Development case in 2007 (along with more than 200 other groups).
The documents presented to the governor and Cabinet note that CAIR’s founding members “have connections with Hamas leadership to include Mousa Mohammed Abu Marzook, considered to a co-founder of Hamas. They assert that co-founding CAIR-Texas member Ghassan Elashi, who was convicted of dealings and material support to specially designated terrorists, “also has ties to Hamas.”
The documents say that “current CAIR members have connections with an alleged member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.”
They also note that the United Arab Emirates in 2014 declared CAIR a terrorist organization due to alleged ties with the Muslim Brotherhood and concerns about promoting extremism. The report says that the UAE upheld that designation when challenged due to CAIR’s honoring of former University of South Florida professor Sami Al-Arian, convicted in 2005 in a U.S. court of conspiracy to make or receive contributions of funds, goods, or services to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a designated terrorist organization.
We commend Florida state Rep. Hillary Cassel, original sponsor of HB 1471 and state Senator Erin Grall, who shepherded the bill in the state Senate for their excellent work crafting legislation that protects Floridians from these insidious terrorist networks.
Now signed by the Governor as Ch. 2026-28, Laws of Florida, the law strengthens Florida’s counterterrorism framework by authorizing the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Chief of Domestic Security to recommend the designation of domestic terrorist organizations. It also ensures that foreign terrorist organizations recognized at the federal level can be enforced at the state level. Once designated, these organizations are subject to strict prohibitions, including bans on public funding and support, and individuals who provide material support face significant criminal penalties.
Ch. 2026-28, Laws of Fla. reinforces that Florida courts may not apply or enforce foreign or religious law if doing so would violate constitutional rights. The legislation also blocks foreign judgments, contracts, or legal provisions that attempt to bypass those protections.
Additionally, the legislation increases accountability in education by prohibiting the use of taxpayer funds to support or promote terrorist organizations. Institutions that violate these provisions may face loss of state funding, and students who promote terrorist violence may face disciplinary action.
One of the most immediate actions the Florida Department of Law Enforcement could take under the new law is to administratively dissolve the CAIR and CAIR-affiliated corporations. This would effectively bar them from banking and conducting business in Florida, a course of action we urge the FDLE to undertake forthwith.
George Rasley is editor of Richard Viguerie's ConservativeHQ.com and is a veteran of over 300 political campaigns. A member of American MENSA, he served on the staff of Vice President Dan Quayle, as Director of Policy and Communication for former Congressman Adam Putnam (FL-12) then Vice Chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee's Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs, and as spokesman for retired Rep. Mac Thornberry formerly a member of the House Intelligence Committee and Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.
