Ron DeSantis’ domestic terrorist designation has pushed CAIR to suspend its Florida operations.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations announced an indefinite halt to its work in the state after Florida’s classification took effect Thursday. The decision came soon after Allen Winsor, chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, rejected CAIR’s request to pause the measure while its federal court challenges move ahead.
For now, that ruling leaves the designation in force and CAIR’s Florida presence closed. The refusal to grant temporary relief also means the legal fight continues rather than ending with the judge’s decision.
CAIR-Florida blamed Gov. DeSantis and other state officials for enforcing what the organization described as unsupported and unconstitutional laws. The group said the state’s action targets its civil rights work and advocacy.
Attorney General James Uthmeier confirmed that CAIR had stopped operating in Florida. He described the ruling as a “great win” for his Solicitor General’s office and for Florida residents.
Our team delivers results.
As of today, CAIR has officially suspended operations in Florida. https://t.co/19R3Unu0vQ
— James Uthmeier (@JamesUthmeierFL) November 5, 2026
DeSantis and the state Cabinet placed the domestic terrorist designation on CAIR on September 29. The classification did not become active until Thursday, creating the immediate pressure that led to the organization’s shutdown.
CAIR says the designation violates protections under the First Amendment and the Fourteenth Amendment’s due process guarantee. Ashley Gorski, senior counsel with the ACLU National Security Project, represented the group in court and said the state’s actions threaten both CAIR and the community connected to its advocacy.
The Florida Cabinet’s list extends beyond CAIR. It also includes the Muslim Brotherhood, Venezuela-based crime syndicate Tren de Aragua, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the anti-fascism movement known as antifa. CAIR is among ninety groups classified as domestic or international terrorist organizations by the DeSantis-led Cabinet.
Why It Matters
This dispute matters because the state’s designation has moved from a political decision into a direct limit on an organization’s ability to operate. CAIR says the label damages its civil rights work, while Florida officials are enforcing the measure as the court challenge proceeds. The judge’s refusal to pause the policy gives the state room to act for now, but it does not settle the constitutional questions raised by the organization. The case therefore puts state authority and constitutional protections on a direct collision course.
The shutdown also gives the legal battle a visible consequence for the community Gorski said could be harmed. This is no longer only an argument over how Florida’s new laws should be interpreted. CAIR has already withdrawn from operations in the state, while the wider list shows that the policy reaches beyond one organization. The unresolved questions are whether the designation will survive later court proceedings and how Florida’s officials will defend the broader classification system.
For now, CAIR remains shut down in Florida, the designation remains active, and the organization’s challenge continues in federal court. Wednesday’s ruling denied the temporary protection CAIR sought, leaving the state’s action in place while the larger case moves forward.
Source: breitbart.com
