Overview
- U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker issued a preliminary injunction that blocks enforcement of the December executive order while CAIR’s lawsuit proceeds.
- DeSantis’ directive had designated CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations and ordered state and local entities to deny contracts, employment, funding, and other benefits to them and to anyone providing “material support.”
- In finding likely unconstitutionality, the judge cited coercion of third parties, including a production company pulling out of a CAIR podcast and a Muslim federation disassociating CAIR from a conference after a state warning.
- CAIR and allied civil-rights groups sued days after the order, alleging viewpoint discrimination and retaliation; they praised the ruling as a protection of free-speech rights.
- The governor’s office had not immediately commented, news outlets reported an appeal is expected, a similar Texas case remains pending, and Florida lawmakers are advancing a bill to grant state terrorist-designation powers.