مجلس العلاقات الأمريكية الإسلامية يعلّق أنشطته في فلوريدا

“Florida’s new law has profoundly disturbing parallels to authoritarian states, in which political leaders silence and punish dissent without due process,” said Hiba Rahim, executive director of CAIR-Florida, before the shutdown went into effect. “Governor DeSantis and other officials have unilaterally branded Muslim nonprofits as ‘terrorist’ with devastating consequences for our rights, our supporters, and the communities we serve. CAIR-Florida categorically rejects Florida officials’ baseless designation of us. Nevertheless, we are heartbroken that we have no choice but to close our doors to protect our staff and people of all faiths who support our work. Years ago, when Alabama banned the NAACP from operating in the state, the U.S. Supreme Court ultimately issued a landmark decision protecting every American’s freedom of association. We trust that the courts in our case, too, will ultimately uphold the fundamental rights we are entitled to as Americans and the constitutional freedoms that protect every one of us.”

“Today’s ruling is deeply disappointing and we are appealing it. Our clients’ challenge to Governor DeSantis’s grave abuse of authority continues,” said Ashley Gorski, senior counsel with the @ACLU’s National Security Project. “Today’s decision upholds state officials’ sweeping power to punish American organizations they brand as ‘terrorist,’ without due process and in violation of the First Amendment. Florida officials have been relentless in seeking to silence our clients’ civil rights work and advocacy, damaging not only them but also their community. We cannot allow this dangerous and sweeping censorship regime to stand.”

“Today, for the first time in over twenty years, Florida Muslims cannot call their community’s leading civil rights organization for help if they experience a hate crime at their mosque, illegal discrimination in the workplace, violent bullying in school, or any other acts of bigotry,” said Edward Ahmed Mitchell, National Deputy Director at @CAIRNational. “The Constitution’s guarantees of free speech and due process apply to every inch of our nation, including Florida. The unprecedented notion that Governor DeSantis has the power to punish an American civil rights organization for its speech and unilaterally force the closure of its doors without due process is an affront to the Constitution. We look forward to appealing this initial ruling so that we can protect the rights of everyone in the State of Florida. Although this is a tragic day for the people of Florida, our struggle to protect the U.S. Constitution is just beginning and we are confident that the rule of law will ultimately prevail, God willing.”

“We are dismayed by this ruling,” said Scott McCoy, deputy legal director, Southern Poverty Law Center (@SPLC). “A law that allows officials unjustly to brand a civil rights nonprofit with such a grievous label and expose it, and anyone who supports it, to life in prison with no hearing and no trial, threatens every Floridian’s constitutional rights. Our commitment to CAIR, CAIR-Florida and the communities they serve has not changed, and we will continue fighting this unconstitutional law throughout this case and on appeal.”

“The court’s decision at least recognizes that an organization cannot be prosecuted for participating in its own legal defense, contrary to the state’s dystopian law,” said Daniel Tilley, legal director of the ACLU of Florida. “CAIR-FL has already been forced to shut its doors in Florida, cutting off Floridian Muslims and others who relied on its services. No nonprofit engaged in First Amendment-protected activity should face this kind of harm without due process. We stand with CAIR and CAIR-FL and will appeal this decision. Our commitment to challenging this dangerous and arbitrary designation has not wavered.”

CAIR and CAIR-Florida are represented by the ACLU, ACLU of Florida, the SPLC, and Bondurant Mixson & Elmore LLP.

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— CAIR National (@CAIRNational) November 6, 2026