The Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations has suspended its operations. The suspension follows a ruling by a federal judge who denied the organization’s request to reverse an order from Governor Ron DeSantis. The governor’s order labeled   the   group  as a domestic terrorist organization.

Sun-sentinel reported that: U.S. District Judge Allen C. Winsor (Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for  the  Northern  District  of  Florida) made the ruling.⁠

On November 4–5, 2026, Winsor denied CAIR and CAIR-Florida’s request for a preliminary injunction to block or reverse Florida’s designation of them as “domestic terrorist organizations” under House Bill 1471  (a  2026  state law creating a designation process). The designations (approved by Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Cabinet on September 29, 2026) took effect on November 5.⁠

Judge Winsor found the groups unlikely to succeed at this stage on their First Amendment and due process claims.  He  wrote  that  the   designation targets  conduct  rather  than  speech,    does   not explicitly forbid communications, and is not a prior restraint, even if it effectively pressures the groups to shut down operations. 

Judge Windsor also held that the state’s process (including a state-court appeal option) was not shown  to  be  constitutionally inadequate. He did issue a narrow injunction barring enforcement of the law’s penalties against CAIR, its employees, or third   parties   specifically  for  providing legal services/counsel.⁠

CAIR has suspended Florida operations and plans to appeal.  An earlier 2025 DeSantis executive order designating CAIR was preliminarily blocked   in   March 2026 by a different judge, Mark E. Walker, on First Amendment grounds; that case is separate and remains on appeal.

Governor Ron DeSantis first designated the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as a terrorist organization on December 8, 2025, through Executive Order 25-244.  Florida Family Association responded immediately with an email campaign that asked people to send emails to Governor DeSantis which stated in part:  "Thank you for your leadership, courage and determination to make sure that Islamists do not usurp, override or nullify the rights afforded to all citizens by the United States Constitution.  I urge you to stand strong in this effort.  Our freedom depends on it."  A judge blocked the executive order.  However, DeSantis presented the need to designate CAIR as a terrorist organization to the Florida Legislature and Florida Cabinet.  Both government bodies overwhelmingly approved the designation which was validated by Judge Winsor.

Eric Daugherty
@EricLDaugherty

BREAKING:   Islamic  organization   CAIR confirms it has SUSPENDED all operations in Florida because Gov. Ron DeSantis designated them as a terror organization.

WHAT  A  HUGE  WIN! A bright orange sign is now taped to the window of CAIR's Temple Terrace office near Tampa, which it has run for 20+ years.   The sign says the group shut down over the state's "baseless and unconstitutional enforcement" of Florida's new "domestic terrorist organization" laws. 

The  lawsuits  are  failing, CAIR IS DOA in Florida! DeSantis said he'd treat them like the threat they are, and now they are fleeing. 

Good RIDDANCE And guess what? Our new Governor  Byron  Donalds  is  EQUALLY as opposed to Sharia and CAIR as DeSantis is.

This is awesome news!!!!!