Florida Governor 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.

Florida Terrorist Designations

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, including 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).

Permanent Anti-Terrorism Framework

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.

Original reporting: Tampa Bay Florida News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.