ORLANDO, Fla. — The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), has filed a lawsuit against the State of Florida after Gov. Ron DeSantis declared the organization a terrorist group under a newly enacted state law.
According to the lawsuit, CAIR argues the designation would cause what it describes as “immediate and irreparable harm,” including the potential “shuttering of all its operations and advocacy in the state.”
The complaint challenges the legality and constitutionality of the state’s action and seeks to block enforcement of the designation.
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is representing CAIR in the case.
The SPLC has called the law unconstitutional, arguing it violates protections related to free speech and due process.
DeSantis, meanwhile, has defended the designation, stating that members of CAIR have alleged connections to foreign terrorist organizations or have expressed support for them.
State officials have not yet publicly detailed specific evidence underlying the designation.
The Florida Attorney General’s Office has also been named in the lawsuit.
Both the Governor’s Office and the Attorney General’s Office have been contacted for comment, and responses are pending.
The case is expected to draw significant legal attention as it moves forward, particularly over questions about the state’s authority to label organizations in this manner and the constitutional limits of such actions.
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