The Florida arm of the Council on American-Islamic Relations is denouncing a new state law that allows state officials to declare groups domestic terrorism organizations.
The legislation allows the state to freeze funding and penalize people who support groups Florida declares are domestic terrorism organization. Students who support the groups on college campuses could be expelled, and those attending on a visa would be reported to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
CAIR-Florida’s Chelsea Mandrigues said during a Tuesday press conference the law targets Muslims and is a threat to all state resident’s first amendment rights.
“Governor DeSantis has effectively authorized the construction of police state infrastructure designed to bypass the judiciary and silence the voices of Florida's minority communities and political dissenters,” she said.
DeSantis had previously issued an executive order labeling CAIR-Florida a domestic terrorist group. CAIR-Florida is fighting that in court.
Mandrigues said CAIR does not expect to be designated a domestic terrorist organization under the new law, is prepared to file another lawsuit if that happens.