TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Diya TV) — A federal judge has blocked an executive order by Ron DeSantis that labeled the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) a foreign terrorist organization. The ruling is a significant legal setback for the Florida governor and raises new debate over free speech, religious rights, and government power. U.S. District Judge Mark Walker issued the injunction on Wednesday. He said the order likely violates the First Amendment and threatens constitutional protections.
The case centers on an executive order DeSantis signed in December that attempted to designate CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations. The order also warned that the state could cut funding to any group connected to CAIR. CAIR and several civil rights organizations challenged the order in federal court.
Walker said the governor’s action crossed constitutional limits. In his ruling, the judge wrote that public officials cannot use their authority to make political statements that harm constitutional rights.
“The First Amendment bars the governor from continuing the troubling trend of using an executive office to make a political statement at the expense of others’ constitutional rights,” Walker wrote.
The judge also raised concerns about the order’s potential impact. He said the directive could punish anyone who interacts with CAIR.
Walker noted that the order threatened to cut off state benefits to organizations that maintain even indirect connections with the group. He called the threat “sweeping and clear.”
Legal experts say the ruling reinforces the strong protections for free speech and association under the U.S. Constitution.
CAIR’s legal team welcomed the decision. Several civil rights groups helped represent the organization in court. Those groups include the Southern Poverty Law Center, Muslim Legal Fund of America, and the law firm Akeel & Valentine. Scott McCoy, deputy legal director at the Southern Poverty Law Center, said the order targeted a Muslim advocacy group rather than addressing public safety.
“This executive order was never about public safety,” McCoy said. “It was about targeting a Muslim organization for its speech and its advocacy.”
CAIR leaders also praised the decision. National Executive Director Nihad Awad said the ruling shows that constitutional protections remain strong.
“Amid widespread attempts by politicians to undermine our democracy, this federal court ruling serves as a reminder that the Constitution still matters,” Awad said.
DeSantis’ office defended the executive order when he issued it last year. Officials said the state had concerns about CAIR’s alleged connections to Hamas. The governor’s office argued that those alleged ties justified the designation. The order claimed CAIR had links to the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas.
CAIR has strongly denied those claims. The organization says it operates as an independent American civil rights group. It also states that it has no ties to foreign political or militant movements. The legal dispute now highlights a broader debate over how governments address alleged extremist links while protecting civil liberties.
Florida is not the only state to target CAIR in recent months. In November, Greg Abbott, the governor of Texas, issued a similar order. Abbott’s directive also labeled CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton supported that action. He claimed CAIR operates as a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.
CAIR rejected that claim and denied any relationship with the group. Legal analysts say the Florida ruling could influence other legal challenges. Courts may review similar state actions under the same constitutional standards.
The federal injunction stops Florida from enforcing the executive order while the case continues. The decision protects organizations that work with CAIR from losing state funding.
First Amendment experts say courts usually apply strict standards when officials attempt to penalize organizations based on political views or advocacy. For now, CAIR continues its operations without the threat of state penalties tied to the executive order.
