NORTH MIAMI, FLA. (WSVN) - Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis responded to the possibility of a lawsuit after he declared a Muslim civil rights group a terrorist organization.
The governor took to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, on Monday to announce an executive order that designated the Council on American Islamic Relations and the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations in Florida.
In the four page order, the state claims both organizations have ties to Hamas, specifically stating “CAIR was founded by persons connected to the Muslim Brotherhood” and “was created… as ‘an official U.S. cover representing the Islamic community’ to conceal ties to Islamic extremist groups.”
“CAIR was an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation trial, it was the largest terror financing trial in the history of the United States of America,” said DeSantis.
Those two organizations are recognized as the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy groups in the country.
Tuesday morning, DeSantis touted state dollars for Biscayne Bay and Everglades restoration during a stop at Florida International University’s Biscayne Campus in North Miami. Reporters pressed him to comment on Monday’s announcement and why these designations were made.
While the governor didn’t give a clear answer, he did react to the news of a possible lawsuit from those organizations who called the state’s action defamatory and unconstitutional.
“You know, a lot of it’s financial, there’s no question, a lot of it is financial. That’s why I think a lawsuit is something that we very much welcome for that, but I would expect there to be some follow-up on legislation,” said DeSantis. “Texas has a little bit more robust architecture in their statutes than Florida does. I think you’re going to see the legislature probably mirror what Texas has done.”
Meanwhile, in Sunrise, leaders with CAIR Florida and their South Florida chapters addressed the designation by the state.
“Illegal on its face. It’s unconstitutional, it has no basis in facts,” said Wilfredo Ruiz for CAIR Florida. “We have an impeccable record of standing for justice and standing for the civil rights of not only Muslims, but all minorities and religious minorities, ethnic minorities, that want to live and thrive in this state.”
“It does nothing except increase the divisions, increase the hatred,” said Omar Saleh, an attorney for CAIR Florida. “In his final months of office, instead of focusing on the pressing issues affecting Floridians, Gov. DeSantis chooses to leave a legacy full of hate and also, frankly, full of crap.”
CAIR has asked a federal judge to strike down a similar proclamation made by Texas a few years ago as well that approximates what Florida has just done.
They said in the lawsuit that the action by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is not only contrary to the United States Constitution, but finds no support in any Texas law.
CAIR Florida said they intend to sue the state for the organization’s designation.
“This is not a Muslim thing, it is a constitutional thing. We’re here in the United States. We’re not asking for special treatment for Muslims in Saudi Arabia, this is the United States where we have religious freedoms,” said Saleh.
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