The Florida Attorney General asked for tougher security at the Florida Capitol as a Muslim advocacy group planned to hold an event there despite being labeled a “foreign terrorist organization” by Florida’s governor.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations-Florida wanted to hold its 2026 “Muslim Day at the Capitol” on February 2 in Tallahassee, even after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a December 8 executive order designating CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations.
In the order, DeSantis directed state law enforcement agencies to “undertake all lawful measures to prevent unlawful activities by these organizations, including denying privileges or resources to anyone providing material support.”
He also stated, “Florida is designating the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as foreign terrorist organizations. Florida agencies are hereby directed to undertake all lawful measures to prevent unlawful activities by these organizations, including denying privileges or resources to anyone providing material support.”
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Florida is designating the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as foreign terrorist organizations.
Florida agencies are hereby directed to undertake all lawful measures to prevent unlawful activities by these… pic.twitter.com/2s48yYfEg7— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) December 8, 2025
Attorney General James Uthmeier said February 2 that he had “requested law enforcement to be on heightened alert for any possible security threats” around the Capitol, referencing the governor’s December designation, according to remarks reported by the Tallahassee Democrat. He added, “Further, terrorist organizations are barred from using any and all state resources, and we expect the governor’s executive order to be upheld.”
CAIR, the nation’s largest Muslim advocacy organization, is challenging the designation in federal court, arguing that it infringes on its constitutional rights.
Edward Ahmed Mitchell, CAIR’s national deputy director, said in a statement, “The thought of Florida Muslims exercising their constitutional right to visit the State Capitol and meet with their elected officials apparently terrifies an anti-Muslim bigot like Mr. Uthmeier.”
The thought of Florida Muslims exercising their constitutional right to visit the State Capitol and meet with their elected officials might terrifiy keyboard warriors like @AGJamesUthmeier. But Mr. Uthmeier's cowardice and his contempt for the Constitution are his problems, not… https://t.co/QXjjU12zbb
— CAIR National (@CAIRNational) February 2, 2026
The organization’s official messaging said members would proceed as planned. In an X post, CAIR stated, “No politician has no right to interfere with Floridians exercising their rights, and if they dare to do so, they should expect to find themselves in court answering to a federal judge. The Florida Muslim community looks forward to, God willing, a positive and productive day at the State Capitol.”
A video press release on the CAIR website indicates that the event was, in fact, held at the Capitol.
The move in Florida mirrors action taken in Texas, where Gov. Greg Abbott in November designated CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations, barring them from acquiring land and authorizing the state attorney general to pursue legal action. CAIR has denied allegations of terrorist ties and has called similar actions in Texas “defamatory,” according to prior reporting by The Dallas Express.
The federal government does not list CAIR as a designated foreign terrorist organization.
