Florida has escalated its actions against the Muslim Brotherhood and associated networks, with Governor Ron DeSantis and state officials voting to designate the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as terrorist organizations under state law.
This designation places these groups alongside over 90 organizations previously classified as foreign terrorist organizations by the U.S. federal government. The move is part of a broader initiative by Florida that began last year but faced judicial obstacles. In December 2025, DeSantis issued an executive order classifying the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as foreign terrorist organizations, but a federal court temporarily halted the order due to challenges concerning jurisdiction, constitutional rights, and freedom of speech.
With the new state law taking effect in July 2026, the DeSantis administration has rebuilt its classification procedures on a local legal foundation, empowering Florida authorities to identify groups as terrorist organizations under state statutes. The administration had previously announced that this measure targeted CAIR, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the movement "Antifa," potentially leading to restrictions on funding, government contracts, and the use of public resources, in addition to penalties related to providing material support to designated organizations.
Local authorities cite security and judicial documents regarding CAIR, including its designation as an "unindicted co-conspirator" in the 2007 Holy Land Foundation case. They also point to alleged links between some of CAIR's founders and individuals associated with Hamas. Florida is also referencing previous actions by other nations, such as the UAE's designation in 2014, citing its connection to the Muslim Brotherhood.
CAIR vehemently denies these accusations, characterizing the designations as an unconstitutional targeting of a civil rights organization. The organization and its Florida chapter have filed a lawsuit in federal court to challenge the decision. The American Civil Liberties Union has also objected to the classification process, stating that its representatives were not given an opportunity to speak before the government meeting prior to the vote.
Florida's approach signifies a shift in the debate surrounding the Muslim Brotherhood and its organizational fronts from political classifications to local legal measures with direct implications for funding, contracts, and government resources. The outcome of this decision remains subject to judicial review, with its ultimate resolution dependent on the U.S. courts' determination of state authority and the compatibility of these classification procedures with constitutional guarantees.
