Florida Moves to Designate CAIR, Antifa and Muslim Brotherhood as Terror Orgs

Florida has taken another formal step toward designating the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Muslim Brotherhood and Antifa as terrorist organizations under a new state process.

Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet voted Friday to approve the rule governing how the Florida Department of Law Enforcement can designate domestic or foreign terrorist organizations. The vote establishes the procedure; it does not mean all three groups became finally designated at the instant the rule was approved.

Under the process, Florida’s chief of domestic security can notify the governor and Cabinet of a proposed designation based on criteria in state law. A designation would become effective 30 days after publication in the Florida Administrative Register, and a targeted organization would have a limited period to submit written objections.

DeSantis has previously said the state received recommendations involving CAIR, the Muslim Brotherhood and Antifa. The consequences can be significant: state agencies, local governments and public school districts face restrictions on spending or accepting public funds in support of designated groups, while provisions affecting colleges and students have also drawn scrutiny.

The policy is already in court. CAIR and civil-liberties groups have challenged the designation regime on constitutional grounds. Supporters say Florida needs a mechanism to keep taxpayer resources away from organizations tied to terrorism; opponents argue the system gives state officials too much power to stigmatize advocacy organizations. The direction is clear: Florida is moving to designate the groups, while final legal status depends on the formal process and ongoing litigation.