TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – On Wednesday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his intention to label three groups as “terrorist organizations” under a new state law.
In a release, the governor’s office revealed that DeSantis wants to impose this designation on Antifa, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
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Per the release, the state also received recommendations to designate over 90 foreign terrorist organizations under state law, including:
- Cartel de Sinaloa
- Tren de Aragua
- Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
- Cartel del Noreste
- Cartel del Golfo
“Last December, I signed an Executive Order to eliminate the influence of radical terrorist ideologies and the organizations that promote them in Florida. This year, I signed legislation to strengthen those protections and give Florida permanent statutory tools to combat terrorism while defending the Constitutional rights of our citizens.
Today, we are officially designating terrorist organizations under Florida law. 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.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis
The new law — HB 1471 — introduces a rule that allows the FDLE executive director — a role appointed by the governor — to designate certain groups as terrorist organizations.
To do so, the FDLE director must find the following criteria:
| Type | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Domestic | The organization is based in or operates in the U.S. |
| Domestic | The organization’s terrorist activity is an ongoing threat to the security of Florida or the U.S. |
| Domestic | The organization is engaging in activities that involve illegal acts to intimidate/coerce a civilian population, influence the policy of a government by intimidation/coercion, or affect the conduct of government by mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping |
| Foreign | The organization is designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. Secretary of State pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act |
| Foreign | The organization’s terrorist activity is an ongoing threat to the security of Florida or the U.S. |
After the FDLE director provides written notice of the decision, the Cabinet is responsible for either approving or rejecting the designation.
“Keeping our community safe starts with identifying the threat,” FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass said on Wednesday. “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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Other rules under HB 1471 include the following:
- Religious Laws: Courts and tribunals are prohibited from enforcing religious or foreign laws against someone if such application would violate his/her constitutional rights
- Private Schools: Prohibits private schools participating in state scholarship programs from being owned or funded by terrorist groups, terrorist supporters, or criminal gangs
- State Universities: Prevents institutions in the Florida College System from using state funds to support programs that advocate for terrorist organizations
- Visa Students: Public colleges must report information about the current status of students who are attending on a visa if they promote terrorist organizations
- Student Expulsions: If a student promotes a terrorist organization while enrolled at a public university, the student must be immediately expelled and assessed an out-of-state fee
If a group is properly dubbed a terrorist organization, the following consequences will also apply:
- No taxpayer funding: State and local agencies may not expend funds or levy ad valorem taxes to support such an organization or its members
- No school funding: Public colleges, universities, and school districts may not use public resources to support or promote designated organizations
- Harsher penalties: Criminal penalties imposed against such organization may be enhanced
- Terrorism crimes: The following terrorist-related crimes include conduct involving a domestic terrorist group as designated by the FDLE head: