DeSantis announces plans to use new state law to target dozens of alleged terrorist groups

Florida Announces First Designations Under New Terrorism Law, Prompting Legal and Civil‑Liberties Backlash

In a move that could reshape how the state handles groups deemed dangerous, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday that the state will use a recently enacted law to label dozens of organizations as terrorist entities. The law, HB 1471, was signed into effect earlier in the year and officially took force this week.

Under HB 1471, the Chief of Domestic Security in the Florida Department of Law Enforcement can identify organizations that meet the criteria for domestic or foreign terrorist status. Those designations, however, must be approved or rejected by the governor and a majority vote of the state cabinet before they are published in the Florida Administrative Register. DeSantis said the first use of this statutory power would involve more than 90 groups, including the Council on American‑Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Muslim Brotherhood, Antifa, and a variety of criminal cartels such as Cartel de Sinaloa and Cartel del Noreste.

“We are officially designating terrorist organizations under Florida law,” DeSantis said in a statement. “In addition to CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood, we are adding Antifa to the list—along with more than 90 Foreign Terrorist Organizations, including cartels.” He reminded readers that the governor had previously signed an executive order in December aimed at curbing the influence of “radical terrorist ideologies” in the state.

The new law also bars state agencies from providing public support or taxpayer funding to designated groups, and creates criminal penalties for individuals or entities that knowingly provide material support to a terrorist organization. The legislation further asserts that foreign or religious legal codes cannot override U.S. or Florida constitutional guarantees in state courts.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass explained that the measure is intended to enhance community safety. “Keeping our community safe starts with identifying the threat,” he said. “The safety of our community is strengthened by that knowledge every day, and reinforced by the collaboration between our officers, our federal partners, and—most importantly—the people we serve.”

Opposition from CAIR and Civil‑Liberties Advocates

CAIR, a Muslim civil‑rights organization, immediately criticized the designation, saying the group “does not engage in terrorist activity” and has never been charged or convicted of a crime. CAIR also has previously sued Governor DeSantis over a December executive order that targeted both CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood.

In a statement, CAIR said: “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. We have also pursued justice for all people, including American Muslims impacted by hate. This is exactly why Gov. DeSantis has repeatedly targeted our organization.” The group announced it would continue to challenge the state’s actions in court.

Civil‑liberties groups echo CAIR’s concerns, arguing that the designations are politically motivated and pose a threat to First Amendment‑protected speech and association. Hina Shamsi, director of the ACLU’s National Security Project, said: “Florida’s imminent designation of our clients is both dire and unmoored from reality. CAIR and CAIR‑Florida’s speech and advocacy are protected by the First Amendment, which includes their right to criticize the governor, other officials, and their policies. We’re asking the court to protect our clients’ cardinal freedoms.”

Legal and Political Context

The law’s broad scope has raised questions about due process and the potential for abuse. While federal designations of foreign terrorist organizations are made by the U.S. Department of State, Florida’s designations would be established at the state level, with no automatic connection to federal law. Critics worry that the list could be used to silence dissenting voices and that the law’s language allows for swift action without a full judicial review.

Governor DeSantis defended the measure as a necessary step to protect Floridians from terrorism. He cited the state’s existing executive order and the new statutory tools as complementary measures designed to “defend the Constitutional rights of our citizens” while addressing the “influence of radical terrorist ideologies.”

The Florida Cabinet will now weigh the governor’s preliminary designations. If the majority votes to approve them, the organizations will be formally added to the state’s list of terrorist entities, and the law’s restrictions on funding, support, and criminal penalties would take effect.

What’s Next?

Legal experts predict that CAIR and other affected groups will file lawsuits challenging the designations on constitutional grounds. The matter could reach state courts and, potentially, the U.S. Supreme Court, depending on the arguments presented.

Meanwhile, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is preparing to enforce the new provisions, and other state agencies will need to adjust their policies to comply with the updated regulations. As the debate unfolds, Florida’s decision to use a new statutory framework to label groups as terrorist organizations underscores the ongoing tension between state security measures and civil‑rights protections.