TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida is designating the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as foreign terrorist organizations following an executive order from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. CAIR says they plan to take the state to court.
DeSantis announced the executive order on Monday saying it was taking effect immediately. He also called for state agencies to take measures to prevent unlawful activities by the groups and deny privileges to anyone who materially supports them.
CAIR says their operational budget is largely funded by donations from Americans.
The order argues the Muslim Brotherhood "supports a network of chapters and affiliated political entities and front organizations that engage in terrorism or funnel money to finance terrorist activities." It also claims they provided material support to Palestinian groups such as Hamas and joined attacks against Israel.
The order includes similar accusations for CAIR, saying they had been convicted of providing material support to terrorist organizations.
The Florida chapter and national headquarters of CAIR said they planned to file a lawsuit and called the governor's order "defamatory and unconstitutional."
In a joint statement, they also said in part:
"From the moment Ron DeSantis took office as Florida governor, he has prioritized serving the Israeli government over serving the people of Florida. He hosted his very first official cabinet meeting in Israel. He diverted millions in Florida taxpayer dollars to the Israeli government's bonds. He threatened to shut down every Florida college's Students for Justice in Palestine chapter, only to back off when CAIR sued him in federal court."
Last month, the CAIR Legal Defense Fund and other groups filed a federal lawsuit against a proclamation by Texas Governor Greg Abbott which also declared CAIR's Texas Chapter as a foreign terrorist organization.
CAIR says they've nationally condemned Antisemitism, the Oct. 7th attacks, and all acts of terrorism by al-Qa'ida, Hamas, and other groups designated as foreign terrorist organizations.
They also reaffirmed their mission "to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims."
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