CAIR sues Governor DeSantis over foreign terrorist organization designation

TAMPA, Fla - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Florida is suing Governor Ron DeSantis, after he designated it a foreign terrorist organization.

CAIR and CAIR-Florida announced the lawsuit on Tuesday.

The backstory:

Last week, DeSantis announced he was officially designating the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) as a foreign terrorist organization and directing Florida agencies to "undertake all lawful measures to prevent unlawful activities by the group, including denying privileges or resources." 

He claimed individuals associated with CAIR have been convicted of providing support to foreign terrorist organizations. DeSantis signed an executive order that bans state agencies from doing any business with them.

CAIR has already filed a lawsuit in Texas over a similar move by Governor Greg Abbott last month. Leaders with CAIR in Tampa told DeSantis to expect the same, saying they'd see him in court.

READ: CAIR vows legal action as Florida follows Texas in targeting the organization

The governor shared the sentiment. "I welcome the lawsuit," said DeSantis.

"I think our executive order is kind of the beginning," said DeSantis. "I think you're going to see statutory codification of how we handle different terror designations."

In the governor's executive order, he noted that CAIR was designated as an unindicted co-conspirator in the largest terrorism-financing case in U.S. history. CAIR argues the actions in Texas and Florida are political stunts designed to stoke bias and punish those who criticize Israel’s treatment of Palestinians.

New Developments:

On Tuesday, CAIR-Foundation Inc. and CAIR-Florida announced a lawsuit against DeSantis, seeking declaratory and injunctive relief against his executive order.

"We're not here for Muslim rights," Omar Saleh, an attorney with CAIR South Florida, said. "We're here for constitutional rights."

CAIR argues that the executive order is a violation of the Constitution. Leaders with the organization say the governor doesn't have the authority to make this designation.

"It's not the governor's power," Saleh said. "We have a supremacy clause for that. And you can't create a legal classification on somebody without giving them notice or opportunity to be heard or address it."

CAIR leaders say the executive order is a retaliatory move, related to its advocacy for Palestinian issues.

"This executive order does not present facts," Hiba Rahim, the executive director of CAIR, said. "It does not cite investigations. It does point to any criminal findings. It simply declares guilt by proclamation."

The other side:

DeSantis continued to express a readiness to go to court against CAIR. In several posts on "X", he referenced discovery into CAIR's financial records. In one post, he said, 'Can't wait for CAIR to open the books!'

On Tuesday, leaders with CAIR in Tampa were asked about these comments by the governor.

"I wonder what he's thinking he's going to find," Saleh said. "We've been doing this for 20, 30 years. I think he would have found something already."

Big picture view:

Only the U.S. State Department can issue a federal foreign terrorist organization designation, which carries legal consequences.

To read CAIR-Florida's full lawsuit, click here.

To read Governor DeSantis's executive order, click here.