The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has shuttered its Florida operations after the state officially designated it as a domestic terrorist organization. The move comes after a federal judge refused to block the designation while CAIR pursues legal challenges.
“We have suspended our operations in Florida because of Gov. DeSantis and other state officials’ baseless and unconstitutional enforcement of the state’s unprecedented new ‘domestic terrorist organization’ laws against us,” CAIR-Florida stated on its website, displaying the announcement against a black background.
Legal Battle Over Designation
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the state Cabinet labeled CAIR as a domestic terrorist organization on September 29, but the designation only took effect this week. The group argues that the label violates its First and Fourteenth Amendment rights, claiming it is an attempt to silence its civil rights advocacy.
Ashley Gorski, senior counsel for the ACLU National Security Project, which represented CAIR in court, told FOX News 13 that Florida officials have “been relentless in seeking to silence our clients’ civil rights work and advocacy, damaging not only them but also their community.”
State Officials Celebrate Ruling
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier called the court’s decision a “great win” for the state, praising the Solicitor General’s office for its role in the case. The ruling by Chief U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor of the Northern District of Florida denied CAIR’s request for a temporary block on the designation while litigation continues.
CAIR was among 90 groups labeled as domestic or international terrorist organizations by the DeSantis administration. The list also includes the Muslim Brotherhood, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Venezuelan crime syndicate Tren de Aragua, and the anti-fascist movement known as antifa.
The organization, known for its advocacy work and initiatives like the Share the Quran Project, now faces an uncertain future in Florida as it challenges the state’s decision in federal court.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/11/06/cair-shutters-florida-operations-as-domestic-terrorist-designation-begins/?utm_source=breaking_news&utm_medium=banner