(WND)—CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, describes itself as a civil rights and advocacy organization active in support of Islam and Muslims. It claims to call for civil rights, freedom of religion, free enterprise, freedom of expression, human rights and more.
It also was identified as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terror funding trial.
And while it endorses Muslim political candidates, promotes Islam in all its work, and regularly lashes out at critics for being “Islamophobic,” it also has been designated as a terror organization by several nations and states.
One of those is Florida.
And now a report posted online at the Washington Examiner confirms the group has suspended its operations in that state.
That’s because a federal court is allowing a state law, designating CAIR as a “domestic terrorist group,” to take effect.
“The designation stems from legislation signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) that gives Florida officials the authority to identify organizations as domestic terrorist groups and restrict their access to public funding, government contracts, and other state benefits. The law also establishes criminal penalties for providing certain forms of material support to designated organizations,” the report explained.
The challenge to the law, by CAIR, still continues in court on claims the designation violates free speech and due process rights.
But U.S. District Court Judge Allen Winsor said while such designations usually are at the federal level, “the Constitution does not prohibit legislation simply because it is novel.”
CAIR-Florida operations officials confirmed the closure in a notice on their office doors.
It claimed the closure was because of the “baseless and unconstitutional enforcement” of the law.
An appeal was being pursued by CAIR.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said it was a victory for the state.
“This morning, a federal court upheld Florida’s Domestic Terrorist Organization law and rejected CAIR’s attempt to stop the designations,” Uthmeier wrote on X.
