CAIR suspends Florida operations after court upholds terrorist designation

A federal judge denied a request from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and its Florida chapter to avoid being labeled a "domestic terrorist" organization under a new Florida law, FOX 35 Orlando reported. The ruling was issued by U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor of the Northern District of Florida.

Following the court's decision, CAIR announced it would cease its advocacy and operations in Florida, according to WKMG News 6 ClickOrlando. The group plans to appeal the ruling.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier called the court's ruling a "great win" on social media and confirmed that CAIR has suspended its operations in the state, WKMG reported. The designation officially took effect on Thursday after being declared by Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet on September 29.

CAIR had challenged the designation, arguing it violated their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights, but Judge Winsor determined the group failed to show that their freedom of association was unconstitutionally restricted or that the designation forbids any communications, FOX 35 Orlando reported.

The new Florida law allows the state to declare certain groups as domestic terrorists, a move that CAIR and its supporters have opposed. Despite ongoing lawsuits, the law remains in effect, and CAIR has halted its activities in Florida as a result, WKMG noted.