Overview
- CAIR-Foundation and CAIR-Florida filed suit late Monday in federal court in Tallahassee seeking to block Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Dec. 8 executive order.
- The complaint argues federal preemption and alleges due process and First Amendment violations, noting that CAIR has not been designated by any federal authority.
- DeSantis’ order directs Florida agencies to deny contracts, employment and funds to CAIR and those providing it “material support,” and tells state police to take unspecified measures.
- DeSantis said he welcomes litigation and highlighted potential discovery into CAIR’s finances, while his office declared, “We don’t negotiate with terrorists.”
- Civil-rights groups including the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Muslim Legal Fund of America joined CAIR’s challenge, filed as Texas faces a parallel lawsuit over a similar proclamation.