ORLANDO, Florida: A leading Muslim civil rights group in the US has sued Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over his order designating it and another organization as a ” foreign terrorist organization,” saying the directive was unconstitutional.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, known as CAIR, has more than 20 chapters across the United States and its work involves legal actions, advocacy and education outreach.
The lawsuit was filed late Monday by the CAIR-Foundation and CAIR-Florida, its affiliate in the state. The suit asked a federal judge in Tallahassee to declare DeSantis’ order unlawful and unconstitutional and prevent it from being enforced.
“He has usurped the exclusive authority of the federal government to identify and designate terrorist organizations by baselessly declaring CAIR a terrorist organization,” the lawsuit says.
DeSantis’ order was among a series of recent actions or statements made by Republican elected officials which target US Muslims or their groups.
