TAMPA, Fla. — In response to the governor’s declaration, a prominent Muslim civil rights group, along with its Florida division, defiantly stated, “See you in court.”

Governor Ron DeSantis’s Monday announcement aligns with a recent move by Texas, classifying one of the primary Muslim civil rights and advocacy entities in the United States as a “foreign terrorist organization.”

The executive order, shared on the social media platform X, targets the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and extends the same designation to the Muslim Brotherhood.

Currently, neither CAIR nor the Muslim Brotherhood holds the status of a foreign terrorist organization according to U.S. federal standards.

This decree mandates Florida agencies to block both groups, as well as any individuals or entities that have provided them with material support, from securing contracts, employment, or funding from any state executive or cabinet agency.

Through a joint statement, CAIR and CAIR-Florida responded to DeSantis, stating: “Ron DeSantis is an Israel First politician who wants to smear and silence Americans, especially American Muslims, critical of U.S. support for Israel’s war crimes.”

“Governor DeSantis knows full well that CAIR-Florida is an American civil rights organization,” CAIR and its Florida chapter stated. “We look forward to defeating Governor DeSantis’ latest Israel First stunt in a court of law, where facts matter and conspiracy theories have no weight.”

In an emailed statement to the Associated Press, CAIR and its Florida chapter said the organization plans to sue DeSantis in response to what it called an “unconstitutional” and “defamatory” proclamation.

Founded in 1994, CAIR has 25 chapters around the country.

CAIR last month asked a federal judge to strike down Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s proclamation, saying in a lawsuit that it was “not only contrary to the United States Constitution, but finds no support in any Texas law.”

The Muslim Brotherhood was established in Egypt nearly a century ago and has branches around the world. Its leaders say it renounced violence decades ago and seeks to set up Islamic rule through elections and other peaceful means. Critics, including autocratic governments across the Middle East region, view it as a threat.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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