Florida Rules Target the Threat of Islamist Dawa Ideology

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis labeled two Muslim organizations as foreign terrorist groups on December 8, 2025. He issued an executive order targeting the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Society of Muslim Brothers.

The order claims both groups have ties to foreign extremists. It directs state agencies to stop anyone providing them with material support from getting state resources ^[1].

The Executive Action

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued an executive order labeling two Muslim groups—the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim Brotherhood—as foreign terrorist organizations. State agencies, including the Florida Highway Patrol, are directed to deny privileges or resources to anyone providing material support to these entities.

Legal Pushback Begins

CAIR announced it will file a lawsuit to stop the governor’s order. The civil rights group called the move defamatory and unconstitutional.

DeSantis said he welcomes the lawsuit because it will let the state look at CAIR’s bank records ^[2].

Florida officials are also looking at how public money is used. Attorney General James Uthmeier pointed to state programs. “The use of taxpayer-funded school vouchers to promote Sharia law likely contravenes Florida law and undermines our national security,” Uthmeier posted online ^[3].

“The use of taxpayer-funded school vouchers to promote Sharia law likely contravenes Florida law and undermines our national security.”

The Ideology of Dawa

These state actions match recent warnings from policy experts. Researchers say political Islam uses a strategy called “dawa” to change societies from the inside.

A report from the Hoover Institution says dawa uses the religious freedoms of democracies to spread its political ideas ^[4]. Researcher Ayaan Hirsi Ali described the long-term plan behind this movement. “The ultimate goal of dawa is to destroy the political institutions of a free society and replace them with the rule of sharia law,” Ali stated in the report ^[5].

“The ultimate goal of dawa is to destroy the political institutions of a free society and replace them with the rule of sharia law.”

More State Laws Proposed

Florida lawmakers are trying to pass other rules targeting foreign legal systems. Representative Hillary Cassel recently filed the “No Shari’a Act.”

This bill would stop Florida courts from using foreign codes in their rulings ^[6]. Supporters say it protects the state, while critics call it unnecessary.

DeSantis hinted that his executive order is just the start of these efforts. Other states are doing similar things. Texas Governor Greg Abbott labeled the same two groups as terrorist organizations in November 2025 ^[7].