CAIR Florida plans to sue DeSantis for designating it a 'foreign terrorist organization'
By Nancy Guan
December 9, 2025 at 8:13 PM EST
In response, Gov. Ron DeSantis said he "welcomes" the lawsuit as an opportunity to subpoena CAIR for the organization's bank records and other information.
Officials with the state's largest Muslim civil rights group, CAIR Florida, said they plan to sue Gov. Ron DeSantis after he designated the group a "foreign terrorist organization."
The governor's directive against the Council on American-Islamic Relations comes in an executive order he posted on the social media site X. It also gives the same label to the Muslim Brotherhood.
ALSO READ: DeSantis declares Muslim civil rights group CAIR a terrorist organization
In the U.S., only the federal government has the authority to designate groups as foreign terrorist organizations. Neither organization has received that designation.
The Muslim Brotherhood is designated as a terrorist organization in Egypt, United Arab Emirates and other Middle Eastern countries. And the Trump administration designated some branches of the group as foreign terrorist organizations in November.
CAIR's website states it has no affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood.
https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1998156452377293228
The governor's executive order mentions CAIR was "designated as an unindicted co-conspirator" in the terror-financing case involving the Holy Land Foundation.
According to CAIR's website, their inclusion on the list with more than 300 other groups has "no legal implication" and that "Islamophobic groups attempt to exploit the public’s unfamiliarity with the trial to use the unindicted co-conspirator listing to smear CAIR’s reputation."
At a Tampa press conference on Tuesday, CAIR Florida interim executive director Hiba Rahim addressed DeSantis directly, saying the governor was overstepping his authority in issuing the executive order.
"Your designation has no basis in law or fact," said Rahim. "You do not have the constitutional authority to unilaterally declare any American or (any) American institution a foreign terrorist group."
DeSantis' move mirrors a similar proclamation made by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who in November authorized "heightened enforcement against both organizations and their affiliates and prohibits them from purchasing or acquiring land in Texas."
DeSantis' order instructs Florida agencies to prevent the two groups and those who have provided them material support from receiving contracts, employment and funds from a state executive or Cabinet agency.
Rahim said the order has no direct affect on CAIR's advocacy work, but it's "unfortunate" the legal battle will waste "Florida taxpayers' money" and her organization's resources.
During a Tuesday event in North Miami Beach, DeSantis told reporters he "welcomes" the lawsuit as an opportunity to subpoena CAIR for information such as its bank records.
"They have every right to sue, and then we're going to have a right to get the information that we need to make sure," said DeSantis.
Rahim said CAIR Florida has no concern handing over financial records or other information.
Megan Amer, CAIR's policy director, said less than 1 percent of the organization's funding comes from abroad and most of it is from Canada.
CAIR says it has 25 chapters nationwide.
The governor's directive against the Council on American-Islamic Relations comes in an executive order he posted on the social media site X. It also gives the same label to the Muslim Brotherhood.
ALSO READ: DeSantis declares Muslim civil rights group CAIR a terrorist organization
In the U.S., only the federal government has the authority to designate groups as foreign terrorist organizations. Neither organization has received that designation.
The Muslim Brotherhood is designated as a terrorist organization in Egypt, United Arab Emirates and other Middle Eastern countries. And the Trump administration designated some branches of the group as foreign terrorist organizations in November.
CAIR's website states it has no affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood.
https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1998156452377293228
The governor's executive order mentions CAIR was "designated as an unindicted co-conspirator" in the terror-financing case involving the Holy Land Foundation.
According to CAIR's website, their inclusion on the list with more than 300 other groups has "no legal implication" and that "Islamophobic groups attempt to exploit the public’s unfamiliarity with the trial to use the unindicted co-conspirator listing to smear CAIR’s reputation."
At a Tampa press conference on Tuesday, CAIR Florida interim executive director Hiba Rahim addressed DeSantis directly, saying the governor was overstepping his authority in issuing the executive order.
"Your designation has no basis in law or fact," said Rahim. "You do not have the constitutional authority to unilaterally declare any American or (any) American institution a foreign terrorist group."
DeSantis' move mirrors a similar proclamation made by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who in November authorized "heightened enforcement against both organizations and their affiliates and prohibits them from purchasing or acquiring land in Texas."
DeSantis' order instructs Florida agencies to prevent the two groups and those who have provided them material support from receiving contracts, employment and funds from a state executive or Cabinet agency.
Rahim said the order has no direct affect on CAIR's advocacy work, but it's "unfortunate" the legal battle will waste "Florida taxpayers' money" and her organization's resources.
During a Tuesday event in North Miami Beach, DeSantis told reporters he "welcomes" the lawsuit as an opportunity to subpoena CAIR for information such as its bank records.
"They have every right to sue, and then we're going to have a right to get the information that we need to make sure," said DeSantis.
Rahim said CAIR Florida has no concern handing over financial records or other information.
Megan Amer, CAIR's policy director, said less than 1 percent of the organization's funding comes from abroad and most of it is from Canada.
CAIR says it has 25 chapters nationwide.