Federal judge blocks DeSantis from designating Muslim group 'terrorist organization'

Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald on Mar 4, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

A federal judge blocked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis from labeling one of the largest Muslim civil rights groups in America as a ‘terrorist organization,’ saying that the move violates the group’s protected free speech and accusing the governor of choosing “political posturing over the First Amendment.”

The ruling comes nearly three months after DeSantis filed an executive order to unilaterally designate the Council on American-Islamic Relations, known as CAIR, as a foreign terrorist organization on Dec. 8. The order also directed Florida’s local and state agencies to deny contracts, employment, funding, benefits and privileges to the group, which has a chapter in Florida.

In response, CAIR swiftly filed a lawsuit against the governor, arguing the move was unconstitutional and “discriminatory.”

In a thirty-page ruling released Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker said that the governor has been using his executive office to “make a political statement at the expense of others’ constitutional rights,” calling it a “troubling trend.“

“The question before this Court is whether the Governor can, in a non-emergency situation, unilaterally designate one of the largest Muslim civil rights groups in America as a ‘terrorist organization’ and withhold government benefits from anyone providing material support or resources to the group,” Walker wrote in the ruling. “This Court finds he cannot.”

CAIR is a Muslim civil rights nonprofit organization with over 20 chapters nationwide, including one in Florida, and is known for its legal work, advocacy and education outreach to “enhance the public’s understanding of Islam.” In addition to the organization’s work — which ranges from tracking anti-Muslim incidents to representing clients in religious discrimination lawsuits — CAIR has been unabashed in their support of Palestinian rights — a position that CAIR says puts a target on its back.

The ruling affirmed the group’s suspicion that it was being targeted for their views.

Walker wrote that it is “often minority religious groups who find themselves in the crosshairs,” and that it is “easy for those in power to target minority groups with little pushback.” He added that the Muslim community is an “especially easy target” because they make up less than one percent of Florida’s population.

The court also acknowledged the serious threat of terrorist groups such as Hamas.

In a footnote on the first page of the order, Walker acknowledged the “horrific” terror attacks by Hamas on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and explained that the question before the court was only to decide whether the governor’s executive order violated the First Amendment.

“The October 7, 2023, terror attacks in Israel were horrific. Full stop. Hamas is a wicked organization. Full stop. Antisemitism is abhorrent and has resulted in the greatest atrocities in human history. Full stop. But this case does not turn on these indisputable facts. In this case, this Court must answer only the narrow question of whether the Governor’s executive order violates the First Amendment.”

In a joint statement to the press, CAIR litigation director and general counsel Lena Masri and CAIR-Florida executive director Hiba Rahim said they welcomed the court’s decision.

“No governor has the right to violate the Constitution by unilaterally declaring an American organization whose speech he dislikes a ‘terrorist’ group and then punish them and their supporters, all without due process,” they said.

The CAIR representatives said the group will continue to “stand as a shield for the American Muslim community and defend free speech, religious freedom and due process for everyone in our nation.”

The ruling also pointed to examples of how the executive order negatively impacted CAIR’s ability to exist as a nonprofit and exercise their rights to free speech.

For example, a Florida-based production company withdrew from an agreement to produce a podcast with CAIR after the executive order was signed. Similarly, when the South Florida Muslim Conference was scheduled to take place at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts in late January 2026, Attorney General Uthmeier said publicly that the city commission was “on notice,” for using state and local resources to support an organization affiliated with CAIR.

“In short, Plaintiff has been publicly designated a terrorist organization from Florida’s bully pulpit and continues to suffer for it,” Walker wrote.