DeSantis Declares War: Bans Muslim Brotherhood, CAIR From Florida

Paul Riverbank, 12/9/2025DeSantis bans Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR in Florida, sparking legal battles and national debate.

This isn’t a mere bureaucratic shuffle. DeSantis’ order tasks state agencies with barring anyone tied to these organizations from accessing state jobs, contracts, or funding. In black-and-white language, it’s a call for agencies to “undertake all lawful measures to prevent unlawful activities.” The intention seems unmistakable: cut off institutional support to these groups wherever state law allows. But the human impact of such policies is rarely as neat as the legal wording.

Both groups already attract plenty of global attention—some would say suspicion. Take the Muslim Brotherhood: founded in Egypt back in 1928, now with offshoots and affiliates in almost every corner of the Middle East. Its reputation isn’t a straightforward tale. While the Brotherhood’s critics say it has never really shed its associations with extremism, plenty of researchers and supporters point out it has, over the decades, turned more often to ballots than bullets, participating in elections and renouncing violence in many public statements.

CAIR operates on distinctly American soil. Since its launch in 1994, the group has promoted itself as a defender of Muslim-American civil rights, championing legal battles and operating two dozen chapters nationwide. Yet, scrutiny has never been far off. In a federal case in 2008, U.S. officials labeled CAIR as an “unindicted co-conspirator” relating to money sent to Hamas, although this designation never resulted in criminal charges or further legal action. The group, for many, has become a fixture in debates about civil liberties and U.S. policy toward its Muslim citizens.

There’s a crucial point some Floridians might find themselves questioning: neither organization appears on the federal government’s own list of designated foreign terrorist entities. This is strictly a state-level move—though the practical implications within Florida’s borders could still be extensive.

CAIR hasn’t taken the decision lying down. Litigation was swift; the organization and its Florida chapter quickly announced a lawsuit, denouncing the governor’s move as both “unconstitutional” and “defamatory.” This echoes a pattern: CAIR recently challenged a similar Texas order, pressing arguments in court that touch on both state and federal law.

Governor DeSantis is hardly backing away from the spotlight. He has spoken forcefully about his reasoning, claiming that the Muslim Brotherhood’s ideology is “irreconcilable” with the core principles outlined in America’s founding documents. When it comes to CAIR, his language doesn’t pull any punches either, alleging direct links to the Brotherhood and connections to groups deemed “Islamic extremist.”

It would be tempting to see these moves as isolated episodes of local politics, but there’s a broader national trend bubbling underneath. Former President Donald Trump, during his time in office, was no stranger to calls for added scrutiny of groups like the Brotherhood. That legacy appears alive and well among a new generation of Republican governors eager to take a hard line.

For now, in Florida and Texas, the rules are clear—at least on paper. Whether this push will ripple into additional states, or ignite a wider national conversation, remains an open question. What’s certain is that the legal and political sparring is just getting started, and plenty of eyes will be locked on the next turn in this contentious debate.

Something unusual unfolded in Florida politics this week, though you might miss it if you focused only on Washington’s lists. On Monday, Governor Ron DeSantis issued a directive with little ambiguity: two groups—the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)—are now considered foreign terrorist organizations under state policy. That decision, as clear as it is controversial, didn’t happen in a vacuum. Texas, led by Governor Greg Abbott, paved the way just weeks ago, setting a precedent that DeSantis appeared all too ready to follow.This isn’t a mere bureaucratic shuffle. DeSantis’ order tasks state agencies with barring anyone tied to these organizations from accessing state jobs, contracts, or funding. In black-and-white language, it’s a call for agencies to “undertake all lawful measures to prevent unlawful activities.” The intention seems unmistakable: cut off institutional support to these groups wherever state law allows. But the human impact of such policies is rarely as neat as the legal wording.Both groups already attract plenty of global attention—some would say suspicion. Take the Muslim Brotherhood: founded in Egypt back in 1928, now with offshoots and affiliates in almost every corner of the Middle East. Its reputation isn’t a straightforward tale. While the Brotherhood’s critics say it has never really shed its associations with extremism, plenty of researchers and supporters point out it has, over the decades, turned more often to ballots than bullets, participating in elections and renouncing violence in many public statements.CAIR operates on distinctly American soil. Since its launch in 1994, the group has promoted itself as a defender of Muslim-American civil rights, championing legal battles and operating two dozen chapters nationwide. Yet, scrutiny has never been far off. In a federal case in 2008, U.S. officials labeled CAIR as an “unindicted co-conspirator” relating to money sent to Hamas, although this designation never resulted in criminal charges or further legal action. The group, for many, has become a fixture in debates about civil liberties and U.S. policy toward its Muslim citizens.There’s a crucial point some Floridians might find themselves questioning: neither organization appears on the federal government’s own list of designated foreign terrorist entities. This is strictly a state-level move—though the practical implications within Florida’s borders could still be extensive.CAIR hasn’t taken the decision lying down. Litigation was swift; the organization and its Florida chapter quickly announced a lawsuit, denouncing the governor’s move as both “unconstitutional” and “defamatory.” This echoes a pattern: CAIR recently challenged a similar Texas order, pressing arguments in court that touch on both state and federal law.Governor DeSantis is hardly backing away from the spotlight. He has spoken forcefully about his reasoning, claiming that the Muslim Brotherhood’s ideology is “irreconcilable” with the core principles outlined in America’s founding documents. When it comes to CAIR, his language doesn’t pull any punches either, alleging direct links to the Brotherhood and connections to groups deemed “Islamic extremist.”It would be tempting to see these moves as isolated episodes of local politics, but there’s a broader national trend bubbling underneath. Former President Donald Trump, during his time in office, was no stranger to calls for added scrutiny of groups like the Brotherhood. That legacy appears alive and well among a new generation of Republican governors eager to take a hard line.For now, in Florida and Texas, the rules are clear—at least on paper. Whether this push will ripple into additional states, or ignite a wider national conversation, remains an open question. What’s certain is that the legal and political sparring is just getting started, and plenty of eyes will be locked on the next turn in this contentious debate.