MIAMI — A Muslim civil rights group filed a lawsuit against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over his executive order last week that designated it and another organization as “foreign terrorist organizations,” arguing the move was unconstitutional and “discriminatory.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, known as CAIR, is a Muslim civil rights nonprofit organization with over 20 chapters nationwide, including one in Florida, known for its legal work, advocacy and education outreach to “enhance the public’s understanding of Islam.”

The lawsuit, filed late Monday by CAIR National and CAIR-Florida, argues that DeSantis’ order violates the United States Constitution and asks a federal judge in Tallahassee to prevent it from being enforced.

“He has violated the Constitution’s guarantee of due process by unilaterally declaring CAIR a terrorist organization and then ordering immediate punitive, discriminatory action against CAIR and its supporters,” the lawsuit states.

In addition to declaring CAIR and the Society of Muslim Brothers (Muslim Brotherhood) as foreign terrorist organizations, DeSantis’ executive order directed Florida’s local and state agencies to deny contracts, employment, funding, benefits and privileges to CAIR.

In the lawsuit, CAIR states that its advocacy for Palestinian human rights — including its role in defending “pro-Palestinian speech” on college campuses — and criticism of Israel’s government stand in direct opposition to the viewpoints of the governor, who has been a staunch supporter of the Israeli government and its people.

“It’s clearly retaliatory,” said Omar Saleh, civil rights managing attorney for CAIR-Florida, about the order.

“After over 25 years of being in Florida, all of a sudden, we’re illegal? I think we would have been in trouble a long time ago, but our record’s impeccable. Our relationships speak for themselves, even in the lawsuit,” Saleh said, pointing to its legal partners, the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Muslim Legal Fund of America.

When asked about DeSantis’ response to the lawsuit via email, the governor’s deputy press secretary, Ted Veerman, referred to DeSantis’ social media posts.

“Can’t wait for CAIR to open the books!” one of the governor’s posts reads on the topic.

DeSantis said last week at a press conference that the lawsuit gives the state the ability to subpoena CAIR’s bank records.

“They have every right to sue, and we’re going to have a right to get the information we need,” he said.

The governor also suggested that the state could go even further and codify the order into state statute in the upcoming legislative session. “Our executive order is kind of the beginning,” he said at the press conference.

DeSantis’ order links CAIR with the Muslim Brotherhood and points to connections to foreign extremist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah as reasons for the terrorist designations.

CAIR has denied any ties to Hamas or other terrorist groups. In the lawsuit, CAIR states that it has publicly condemned all forms of unjust violence — including Hamas’ deadly attack against Israeli citizens on Oct. 7, 2023 and suicide bombings in the 1990s. It also states that CAIR’s national director was targeted for assassination by ISIS for its outspoken views on terrorism.

“As a 501c, we wouldn’t exist without complying with rules of transparency,” Saleh said. “This just shows that this executive order is not about trying to stop illegal activity. He wants to just have a fishing expedition that is irrelevant to this cause.”

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