Ron DeSantis smacked down in court for trying to declare civil rights group terrorists

A federal judge issued a scathing order on Wednesday, blocking Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) from declaring a prominent civil rights group a terrorist organization.

Under DeSantis' policy, organizations that have contracts with the state of Florida must not do business with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), under risk of losing funding.

In his order, U.S. District Judge Mark Walker, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, called the move an attack on constitutional rights and granted a preliminary injunction against enforcement.

"The question before this Court is whether the Governor can, in a non-emergency situation, unilaterally designate one of the largest Muslim civil rights groups in America as a 'terrorist organization' and withhold government benefits from anyone providing material support or resources to the group.' This Court finds he cannot," wrote Walker. "The First Amendment bars the Governor from continuing the troubling trend of using an executive office to make a political statement at the expense of others' constitutional rights."

"The Governor's decree coerces third parties, under threat of losing government benefits, to disassociate from the Council on American-Islamic Relations ('CAIR'), thereby closing avenues of expression and suppressing CAIR's protected speech," Walker continued. "Once again, Florida chooses political posturing over the First Amendment."

CAIR is well known for fighting against anti-Muslim hate crimes around the country, and has advised governments on keeping Muslim communities safe from bigotry. But the group has not been without controversy; some of its leaders have expressed sympathy for the terrorist group Hamas and even seemed to praise the Oct. 7 attack in Israel, which prompted the Biden administration to cut ties with the organization.

"The October 7, 2023, terror attacks in Israel were horrific. Full stop. Hamas is a wicked organization. Full stop. Antisemitism is abhorrent and has resulted in the greatest atrocities in human history. Full stop," wrote Walker in a footnote of the opinion. "But this case does not turn on these indisputable facts. In this case, this Court must answer only the narrow question of whether the Governor's executive order violates the First Amendment."

DeSantis is not alone in attempts to repress CAIR; in Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott designated the group a transnational criminal organization and moved to bar them from owning land in the state.