Florida Designates Groups Terrorist Organizations

United States — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the designation of several groups, including Council on American–Islamic Relations, Muslim Brotherhood, Antifa, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and various drug cartels, as terrorist organizations under a new state law (HB 1471) that became effective on July 1, 2026. This legislation grants the United States — Florida Department of Law Enforcement the authority to label groups as domestic or foreign terrorists, a power typically held by the federal government. The designations, which still require approval from the governor and Cabinet, will prohibit these groups from receiving public money and mandate the expulsion of college students who promote them. Council on American–Islamic Relations has stated its intention to challenge the law in court, similar to its successful legal action against a previous executive order by Ron DeSantis in December that was blocked by U.S. District Court Judge Mark Walker in March.