First posted on Instagram
The Council on American-Islamic Relations has suspended its operations in Florida after the state put into effect its designation of the Muslim civil rights group as a domestic terrorist organization, closing its Florida chapter as the designation took effect on Thursday, November 5.
CAIR-Florida shut its doors on Wednesday, November 4, a day before the designation took effect. A notice on the chapter's website says it "suspended our operations in Florida because of Governor [Ron] DeSantis and other state officials' baseless and unconstitutional enforcement of the state's unprecedented new 'domestic terrorist organization' laws against us." The group also paused recurring donations and urged supporters to cancel or pause automatic payments before November 5.
The shutdown came hours after a federal judge refused to stop the designation. On Wednesday, Chief U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor of the Northern District of Florida denied CAIR and CAIR-Florida's emergency request to block it, writing that the groups "have not shown they are likely to succeed" on their due process claims. The judge did grant one narrow form of relief: state prosecutors may not enforce the law against the groups, their employees or their lawyers over the provision of legal services.
The designation was voted on September 29, when Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet voted to designate more than 90 groups as terrorist organizations, including CAIR and CAIR-Florida, the Muslim Brotherhood and Antifa. The move was made under HB 1471, a law DeSantis signed in April 2026 that took effect on July 1 and gives the governor, the Cabinet and the head of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement the power to designate groups as domestic terrorist organizations. The law also bars state agencies, political subdivisions and public school districts from spending state funds to support a designated group.
DeSantis and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier celebrated the ruling. Uthmeier called it a "great win" and confirmed on X that "CAIR has officially suspended its operations in Florida." DeSantis has said the designation is aimed at combating the group's alleged extremist ties and influence, and has warned about the growing influence of political Islam, arguing that Islamism seeks political dominance. A lawyer for the state argued in an October court filing that CAIR operates as a front for Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.
CAIR rejects that characterization. Hiba Rahim, who was executive director of CAIR-Florida until it shut down on Wednesday, said the group "categorically rejects Florida officials' baseless designation." "Nevertheless, we are heartbroken that we have no choice but to close our doors to protect our staff and people of all faiths who support our work," she said. The group plans to appeal the ruling, according to Ashley Gorski, senior counsel with the American Civil Liberties Union, one of the groups representing CAIR and CAIR-Florida. Gorski described the state law as an attempt "to silence" CAIR's civil rights work.
This is Florida's second attempt to label CAIR a terrorist organization. In December 2025, DeSantis issued an executive order designating CAIR and CAIR-Florida as terrorist organizations; a federal judge blocked that order in March 2026, finding it likely violated the First Amendment. The Legislature then passed HB 1471 and HB 1473, creating the designation process the state used in September. Florida has not previously indicted or convicted CAIR or CAIR-Florida under any criminal law, and the federal government has not designated CAIR as a foreign terrorist organization. Texas Governor Greg Abbott made a similar designation against CAIR's Texas chapter in November 2025, which is also being challenged in court.
The suspension applies to the group's Florida operations. The designation remains the subject of the ongoing federal lawsuit, and CAIR says it will appeal Judge Winsor's ruling.