Florida's Controversial Terror Designations
Florida Designates CAIR, Muslim Brotherhood, Antifa as Terrorist Groups Under HB 1471
Key Points
The initial wave of designations could extend to well-known international criminal groups, with examples including the Sinaloa cartel, Tren de Aragua, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) alongside domestic groups.
HB 1471 authorizes administrative dissolution of designated organizations' corporations in addition to barring funding and resources, expanding the state’s punitive tools beyond withholding grants or contracts.
CAIR Florida has opposed the designation, with Wilfredo Ruiz calling it a 'dark day for the Florida Constitution and the United States Constitution,' and Omar Saleh arguing that people do not become security risks simply because they disagree with you.
The designation could affect K-12 school-choice scholarships, as DeSantis indicated he would not send scholarships to schools 'in cahoots with groups like CAIR' and pointed to impacts on funded school programs.
The move builds on a December executive order and marks the formal deployment of HB 1471’s permanent anti-terrorism framework, which previously designated CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood for executive action.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has formally activated a new state terrorism law, designating CAIR Florida, the Muslim Brotherhood, and Antifa as terrorist organizations, effective July 1, 2026. The move marks the first Cabinet-approved use of HB 1471, a permanent framework that bars all state and local funding to designated groups and can force corporate dissolution, according to CBS News and NBC Miami.
DeSantis said the state is also reviewing more than 90 federally listed foreign terrorist organizations for state-level designation. Targets like the Sinaloa Cartel, Tren de Aragua, and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could follow in a second wave, CBS News reported.
How HB 1471 Turns Designations Into Real Penalties
HB 1471 gives the Governor and Cabinet the power to designate groups based on recommendations from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Once a group is designated, state and local agencies must cut all funding, contracts, and public resources. The law goes further than most: it also allows the state to administratively dissolve a designated group's Florida corporation, according to Florida Phoenix.
The Florida House passed the bill 74 to 34. DeSantis signed it into law in March 2024, and enforcement rules were finalized through 2025. The Cabinet-approved designations took full legal effect today, triggering immediate suspension of state contracts and the start of corporate dissolution proceedings, according to NBC Miami.
School Funding and Universities Caught in the Crossfire
The designations hit Florida's education system directly. DeSantis said he will not send K-12 school-choice scholarships to schools he described as being "in cahoots with groups like CAIR." A 60-day audit has been ordered to find schools with alleged ties to designated groups, according to CBS News.
Universities face pressure too. The law could require schools to expel students who lead chapters tied to designated groups. Legal analysts warn that researchers studying the Muslim Brotherhood or Middle Eastern politics could face "material support" accusations simply for academic contact with these organizations, according to Washington Examiner.
CAIR Calls It a Dark Day for the Constitution
CAIR Florida pushed back hard. Communications Director Wilfredo Ruiz called it "a dark day for the Florida Constitution and the United States Constitution," saying the designations are a politically motivated attempt to criminalize civil rights advocacy. Civil rights attorney Omar Saleh added that "people do not become security risks simply because they disagree with you," according to Florida Phoenix.
The ACLU of Florida argues the law is unconstitutionally vague. They say the term "material support" is defined so broadly that it could cover protected speech and protests under the First Amendment. CAIR Florida has signaled that a federal lawsuit is imminent, with legal filings expected in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, according to NBC Miami.
Cartels and the IRGC Could Be Next in Line
DeSantis made clear this is only the beginning. He pointed to more than 90 groups on the federal Foreign Terrorist Organization list as candidates for state designation. The Sinaloa Cartel, Tren de Aragua, Cartel del Noreste, and Cartel del Golfo were all cited as likely targets, according to CBS News and Washington Examiner.
Former federal security officials note that designating international groups like the IRGC at the state level is largely symbolic, since foreign policy is a federal domain. Even so, state designation could trigger real consequences — including asset seizures tied to real estate held by cartel-linked entities in Florida, according to NBC Miami.
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