Cair shuts down Florida office as judge declines reversal of terrorist designation

Cair has suspended its Florida operations after a federal judge declined to block the state’s terrorist designation of the civil rights group. The ruling leaves the designation in place for now, raising concerns about its effect on Cair’s work and on protections for non-profit organisations and free speech.

Chief Judge Allen C Winsor said Florida’s new law allowing the designation of non-profits without due process was “novel – and perhaps unprecedented”, but found Cair had not shown that its emergency request addressed a criminal punishment. He said officials could not deny Cair legal services, and they pledged not to prosecute its board, staff or associates. Cair, which sued Florida Governor Ron DeSantis with the ACLU and Southern Poverty Law Center, plans to appeal; the designation derives from HB 1471, passed in March, signed in April and effective from 1 July.