DeSantis CAIR, Muslim Brotherhood and Antifa will be designated terrorist groups under the new law

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, announced Wednesday the state’s intention to use a new state law to designate dozens of groups as terrorist organizations, a move that would require approval by the Florida Cabinet, prompting legal opposition from at least one of the groups.

HB 1471 was signed into law earlier this year and went into effect on Wednesday.

The governor said the state plans to use its new statutory authority to “identify, target, and combat terrorist organizations operating in Florida” in the first exercise of powers established under the law.

Florida officials plan to designate more than 90 groups as terrorist organizations, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Muslim Brotherhood and Antifa, although the proposed names must be approved by the governor and Cabinet before they are finalized under law.

FLORIDA’S CAIR LEGALLY THREATS DESANTIS AFTER HE REPRESENTS A ‘NATIONAL TERRORIST’ GROUP.

“Last December, I signed an Executive Order to eliminate the influence of major terrorist ideologies and organizations in Florida. This year, I signed legislation to strengthen those protections and provide Florida with permanent legal tools to fight terrorism while protecting the Constitutional rights of our citizens,” DeSantis said in a statement. “Today, we are officially designating terrorist organizations under Florida law. In addition to CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood, we are adding Antifa to the list—along with more than 90 foreign terrorist organizations, including corporations.”

However, under HB 1471, the Homeland Security Administrator may designate organizations that qualify as domestic or foreign terrorist organizations, but the governor and Cabinet may approve or reject those designations by majority vote before they are published in the Florida Administrative Register.

Some of the foreign organizations added to the list include the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and gangs such as the Cartel de Sinaloa, Tren de Aragua, Cartel del Noreste and Cartel del Golfo.

The new law allows the governor and the Cabinet to approve or reject an appointment made initially by the head of homeland security within the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

“Keeping our community safe starts with identifying the threat,” said Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass. “The safety of our community is strengthened by that information every day, and it strengthens the cooperation between our officers, our federal partners, and – most importantly – the people we serve.”

HB 1471 was signed into law earlier this year and went into effect on Wednesday. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

HB 1471 directs agencies to deny community support groups and taxpayer funding. The law also establishes mechanisms to ensure state compliance and criminal penalties for providing material support to designated terrorist organizations.

Specifically, the law limits certain public benefits, funding and institutional support linked to designated groups, and creates criminal penalties for knowingly providing, attempting to provide or conspiring to provide significant support or resources to a designated domestic terrorist organization.

The law also ensures that foreign or religious legal codes cannot override the US or Florida Constitution in state courts.

CAIR, a Muslim rights group, has condemned the move and said it will continue to oppose the government’s action, following the governor’s announcement on Wednesday, that the organization does not engage in “acts of terrorism” and has never been charged or convicted of a crime. CAIR and CAIR-Florida also sued DeSantis’ December ruling targeting CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood.

“Throughout CAIR’s long history, our civil rights organization has worked to protect the Constitution’s guarantees of free speech, religious freedom and equality under the law,” the organization said in a statement. “We have also pursued justice for all people, including Muslim Americans who have been affected by hate. This is exactly why Gov. DeSantis has repeatedly targeted our organization. We see Gov. DeSantis’ latest biased attempt to punish us for our views and values. We look forward to fighting this baseless attack in court and once again proving that the Constitution is stronger than any political conflict.”

FLORIDA CLASSIFIES CAIR BROTHERHOOD MUSLIMS AS FOREIGN TERRORISTS, SAYS DESANTIS

Florida officials plan to designate more than 90 groups as terrorist organizations, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Muslim Brotherhood and Antifa. (Stephanie Keith/Bloomberg)

Critics, including CAIR and civil liberties groups, say the appointment is politically motivated and threatens First Amendment-protected speech and association. DeSantis and state officials have argued that the law aims to prevent taxpayer support for groups they say promote or support terrorism.

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CAIR and civil rights groups said they would challenge the designation as unconstitutional and unconstitutional.

“Florida’s imminent appointment of our clients is both painful and truly incomparable. CAIR and CAIR-Florida’s speech and advocacy is protected by the First Amendment, including their right to criticize the governor, other officials, and their policies. We ask the court to protect the freedom of our clients,” said Hina Project Shamsi, director of National Security in a statement.

The designation, if approved by the Cabinet, would be effective under Florida law and would not match the designation of a foreign terrorist organization by the US State Department.