Florida Governor announces plan to designate over 90 groups as terrorist organizations under new law
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Gov. Ron DeSantis said Florida will use recently enacted HB 1471 to identify and designate more than 90 groups, including CAIR, the Muslim Brotherhood and Antifa, as terrorist organizations, pending approval by the state cabinet.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said the state will begin using a new statutory authority, HB 1471, to "identify, designate, and combat terrorist organizations operating in Florida." The law, which took effect on Wednesday, allows the chief of domestic security to propose designations that must then be approved or rejected by a majority vote of the governor and the Florida Cabinet before being published in the state administrative register.
DeSantis said the first round of designations will include more than 90 groups, among them the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Muslim Brotherhood and Antifa, as well as several foreign entities such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Mexican drug cartels. He noted that the measure follows a December executive order aimed at curbing radical terrorist ideologies.
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass said the initiative is intended to enhance public safety by providing “knowledge” of threats and fostering cooperation with federal partners.
HB 1471 also bars designated groups from receiving public support, taxpayer funding, or other state benefits, and creates criminal penalties for providing material support to a designated organization. The law affirms that foreign or religious legal codes cannot override the U.S. or Florida constitutions in state courts.
CAIR, a civil-rights organization, issued a statement rejecting the designation, saying it does not engage in terrorist activity and will continue to challenge the action in court. The ACLU’s National Security Project also announced it will seek judicial protection of its clients’ First Amendment rights.
If the cabinet approves the proposals, the designations will apply under Florida law but will not constitute a federal foreign-terrorist organization listing, which is determined by the U.S. State Department.
