Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the state Cabinet approved a new rule establishing the formal process for designating domestic and foreign terrorist organizations. This administrative step clears the path for the state to officially designate the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Muslim Brotherhood, and Antifa as terrorist groups under state law.
The approval came less than two minutes into a Cabinet meeting, following a recommendation by Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass. The new rule implements a state law that took effect in July, which grants the chief of domestic security the authority to recommend designations, subject to gubernatorial and Cabinet approval. Once designated, organizations face restrictions on state funding and potential criminal penalties for those providing them material support.
What the Right Is Saying
Governor DeSantis and state officials frame the designation as a necessary security measure to protect public safety. "As Florida chief of domestic security, I know there are imminent dangers to public health, safety, and welfare due to increasing risks from foreign and domestic terrorist groups," Commissioner Mark Glass stated. DeSantis added that the framework allows the state to "defend the people of Florida against possible actors and terrorist groups."
Conservative proponents argue that the designation aligns Florida with other states and the federal government's broader approach to national security. Texas Governor Greg Abbott previously designated the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as foreign terrorist organizations in November 2025, subjecting them to heightened penalties and property restrictions. Furthermore, the Trump administration has designated specific branches of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Sudan as Specially Designated Global Terrorists, citing alleged material support for Hamas.
What the Left Is Saying
Civil liberties organizations and the designated groups argue that the state's designation process is unconstitutional and politically motivated. CAIR, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other attorneys, filed a lawsuit in July challenging the underlying state law, asserting that Florida lacks a legitimate basis for labeling the organization a terrorist group.
Critics point to recent judicial precedent to support their position. In March, U.S. District Judge Mark Walker issued a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of a December 2025 executive order by Governor DeSantis that had previously labeled CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations. Judge Walker found that the executive order likely violated the First Amendment. Legal experts aligned with progressive viewpoints argue that the new administrative rule attempts to circumvent these constitutional concerns by embedding the designations in statutory law rather than executive fiat.
What the Numbers Show
The underlying Florida law passed the state Senate with a vote of 25-11 and the state House with a vote of 80-25 before being signed by Governor DeSantis in April. The law took effect on July 1. Under the new rule, a designation becomes effective 30 days after publication in the Florida Administrative Register, with a seven-day window for organizations to submit written objections.
The law prohibits state agencies, local governments, and public schools from using state funds to support designated organizations. It also bans public universities from using state or federal funds for programs that promote these groups. Additionally, the statute creates criminal penalties for knowingly providing material support to designated domestic terrorist organizations and includes provisions that could affect students who promote such groups, including the potential loss of financial assistance and reporting requirements for visa holders. Notably, neither CAIR nor the Muslim Brotherhood as a whole holds a federal terrorist designation, though specific international branches have been designated by the U.S. Treasury and State Departments.
The Bottom Line
Florida's move to formalize the designation process sets up a continued legal battle between state security interests and federal constitutional protections. With two federal lawsuits already pending—one challenging the previous executive order and another targeting the new statutory law—the practical effect of these designations remains uncertain until the courts rule on their constitutionality. The outcome will likely determine whether states have the authority to independently designate domestic groups as terrorists and impose funding bans and criminal penalties without federal concurrence.