Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has officially tarred and feathered the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) with the “foreign terrorist organization” epithet. This decision has sparked major outrage and contention. This executive order, posted on social media by DeSantis, asserts that CAIR was “founded by persons connected to the Muslim Brotherhood,” which he claims aims to establish “a world-wide Islamic caliphate” and has ties to Hamas.
Founded in 1994, CAIR has 25 chapters to help advance the interests of American Muslims within the United States. The organization promotes civil rights for American Muslims and often advocates against perceived injustices related to U.S. foreign policy, particularly regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As soon as DeSantis made clear his intentions, CAIR and its Florida chapter jumped into action. They claimed that the designation is intended to intimidate American Muslims who oppose U.S. support for Israeli violence.
It’s clear which government Ron DeSantis has really prioritized serving since taking office as Florida’s governor. Both CAIR and its Florida chapter criticized him, arguing that he is failing to protect the rights and safety of the people of Florida.
The executive order instructs Florida state agencies to prevent CAIR from receiving contracts or employment. It aims at anyone providing the organization day-to-day operational support, keeping them just as thoroughly out of the loop. This directive follows the pattern of threats and intimidation against asylum seekers by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Last month, he made a similar designation against CAIR.
Civil rights group CAIR has already filed a federal lawsuit against Abbott’s designation. They called it “unconstitutional”, and are pleading with a federal judge to throw it out. The organization asserts that both DeSantis and Abbott are “Israel First politicians,” accusing them of acting in favor of foreign interests rather than addressing domestic concerns.
Under the direction of then-President Donald Trump, the administration moved to designate branches of the Egyptian, Lebanese, and Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood as “terrorist” groups. He justified this action by pointing to their supposed support for Hamas, as well as the current situation. The actions taken by DeSantis and Abbott have been criticized for their implications on civil liberties and the potential chilling effect on free speech among American Muslims.
CAIR has already threatened legal action against DeSantis. This follows his announcement last month that no college chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine will be allowed to operate in Florida. The organization argues that these types of actions are both an affront to freedom of speech and an infringement on the group’s First Amendment rights.
