TAMPA, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday that the state intends to use a new law to officially designate and combat domestic and foreign terrorist groups operating within its borders.
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Florida terrorist designations
What we know:
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the state’s intent to implement its new statutory authority to identify, designate, and combat terrorist organizations operating in Florida.
This action marks the first use of powers established under HB 1471, a bill signed into law earlier this year to create a permanent anti-terrorism framework.
Based on recommendations from domestic security professionals, Florida intends to designate the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Muslim Brotherhood, and Antifa under state law.
The state has also received recommendations to designate more than 90 Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
These groups include the Cartel de Sinaloa, Tren de Aragua, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Cartel del Noreste, and Cartel del Golfo. The new statutory framework allows the Governor and Cabinet to designate organizations based on recommendations from the Chief of Domestic Security within the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).
Unresolved enforcement details
What we don’t know:
Officials have not yet confirmed the exact timeline for when the formal designations will be finalized by the Governor and Cabinet.
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It remains unclear how state agencies will specifically track down and identify decentralized groups like Antifa operating within local communities.
State authorities have not yet detailed the specific criminal penalties or enforcement actions that individuals will face if they are found to be providing material support to these newly designated groups.
Permanent anti-terrorism framework
The backstory:
The new legislation builds upon an Executive Order signed by DeSantis last December, which directed state agencies to eliminate the influence of radical terrorist ideologies. That initial order designated the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR for purposes of state executive action, instructing agencies to deny them public support, contracts, and taxpayer funding. HB 1471 expanded these protections into a permanent statute that creates state enforcement mechanisms and criminal penalties for providing material support to designated organizations.
The law also ensures that foreign or religious legal codes cannot override the United States or Florida Constitutions in state courts. Additionally, Florida has previously restricted public colleges and universities from entering into agreements with institutions affiliated with foreign countries of concern and barred taxpayer funds from benefiting foreign adversaries.
Officials back new tools
What they’re saying:
“Today, we are officially designating terrorist organizations under Florida law,” DeSantis said. “In addition to CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood, we are adding Antifa to the list—along with more than 90 Foreign Terrorist Organizations, including cartels.”
“Keeping our community safe starts with identifying the threat,” said FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass. “The safety of our community is strengthened by that knowledge every day, and reinforced by the collaboration between our officers, our federal partners, and—most importantly—the people we serve.”
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