CAIR suspends Florida operations as federal court upholds state's terror designation

“This morning, a federal court upheld Florida’s Domestic Terrorist Organization law and rejected CAIR’s attempt to stop the designations,” Uthmeier wrote on X. “Great win by our Solicitor General’s office and for the people of Florida!”

The announcement followed reports Wednesday that CAIR had indefinitely suspended operations in Florida. A notice posted at its Temple Terrace office near Tampa blamed Gov. Ron DeSantis and other state officials, calling their enforcement of the designation law unconstitutional. CAIR also stopped accepting donations from people living or located in Florida and instructed Florida residents against joining its mailing lists or otherwise engaging with the organization.

DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet approved the designations September 29 under HB 1471, which took effect July 1. The designations were scheduled to become effective November 5. CAIR’s attorneys sought an injunction, arguing that the restrictions would prevent the organization from operating.

Texas previously designated CAIR under state terrorism laws as well.

The shutdown follows years of scrutiny involving CAIR’s alleged connections to Hamas, its leaders’ statements about terrorism, taxpayer funding, and efforts to influence how public institutions address antisemitism.

Federal prosecutors named CAIR an unindicted co-conspirator and/or joint venturer in the Holy Land Foundation terrorism-financing prosecution. The foundation and five leaders were convicted in 2008 in a case involving approximately $12.4 million funneled to Hamas. A Justice Department inspector general report said trial evidence linked CAIR leaders to Hamas and described the FBI’s subsequent policy restricting non-investigative interactions with CAIR.

CAIR national executive director and co-founder Nihad Awad drew condemnation after saying he was “happy to see” Palestinians “breaking the siege” on October 7, 2023, following the Hamas massacre of over 1,200 Israelis. The Biden White House condemned his comments and disavowed CAIR’s involvement in its national antisemitism strategy.

Other chapter leaders have faced similar scrutiny. San Francisco Bay Area executive director Zahra Billoo posted, “We are witnessing decolonization” on the day of the Hamas massacre and later called slain Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh a “martyr.” Billoo also advised supporters against posting “I hate all Zionists” publicly while suggesting they could express those views privately. CAIR-California chief executive Hussam Ayloush compared Israel to Nazi Germany and said: “Israel should be attacked.”

In a separate 2021 appearance, Billoo urged supporters to scrutinize Jewish federations, Zionist synagogues, campus Hillel chapters and the Anti-Defamation League, warning that friendship did not mean those institutions supported her audience’s understanding of human rights.

CAIR’s handling of taxpayer money has also generated complaints and federal scrutiny. The Intelligent Advocacy Network requested an investigation into approximately $7.2 million in refugee-related funding distributed through California operations, alleging that transfers among chapters obscured how the money was spent. Those were allegations seeking investigation, rather than a finding that funds were stolen.

A subsequent investigation examined at least $41 million awarded to CAIR-California over five years and questioned subgrants to other organizations, including the Muslim American Society and Islamic Circle of North America chapters. Separately, Health and Human Services officials sought scrutiny of more than $30 million in California refugee-resettlement funding and approximately $1.3 million awarded to CAIR-Washington through Washington’s Department of Social and Health Services.

The organization also settled litigation with former employee and board member Lori Saroya after a discovery ruling opened its financial records to scrutiny. The dispute involved allegations concerning foreign funding, financial management, and employee treatment.

On campuses, CAIR created a “Hostile Campus” scorecard that deducted points from universities adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism and enforcing certain protest-related disciplinary measures.

In Washington, CAIR-WA pressed school officials to revise antisemitism guidance, including language concerning “from the river to the sea.” It also demanded that Bellevue schools pair references to the October 7 attacks with the organization’s allegation of genocide in Gaza.

Emails obtained by The Ari Hoffman Show separately showed Washington Human Rights Commissioner Han Tran consulting CAIR allies while drafting an antisemitism resolution. King County’s civil rights commission also worked alongside CAIR on immigration and civil rights initiatives.

CAIR-WA executive director Imraan Siddiqi demanded that the University of Washington restore a canceled Hasan Piker lecture while criticizing its president’s participation in an antisemitism town hall moderated by Hoffman. CAIR-WA’s logo also appeared on materials promoting an April prisoner letter-writing event associated with campaigns supporting convicted Holy Land Foundation leaders and Tarek Bazrouk, who was sentenced for assaults on Jewish victims. Promotional materials invoked Hamas’ name for its October 7 attack, “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.”

The organization’s political influence has expanded despite those controversies. Previous reporting identified more than $115,000 in contributions to Abdul El-Sayed’s Senate campaign from at least 41 people who worked for or held leadership positions with CAIR. Its political affiliate, CAIR Action, celebrated his Michigan victory this week and used the announcement to recruit members.