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Media Contact: Charles Swift
Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA)
Email: [email protected]
Website: mlfa.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 5, 2026
Northern District of Florida – MLFA Celebrates Major Free Speech Victory as Federal Court Blocks DeSantis Order Targeting CAIR
A federal court has issued a preliminary injunction blocking Florida Governor Ron DeSantis from enforcing an executive order that attempted to label the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as a “terrorist organization.” The ruling marks a major legal victory for civil rights advocates defending constitutional protections for Muslim organizations and their supporters.
The decision came after a coalition of civil rights legal advocates challenged the order in federal court. Among the leading voices supporting the challenge was the Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA), which has played a key role in mobilizing legal expertise, advocacy resources, and community support around the case.
A Case About the Constitution
In the ruling, U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker concluded that the executive order likely violates the First Amendment. The order sought to block CAIR and anyone providing “material support” to the organization from receiving government contracts, funding, or employment within the state of Florida.
The court found that the policy could pressure businesses, organizations, and individuals to cut ties with CAIR out of fear of losing government benefits. According to the ruling, this type of pressure can suppress speech and association protected under the Constitution.
In making his ruling Judge Walker quoted Washington Post Columnist David French expression of American hope, “Our nation is not a place—it never will be a place—where we all agree with one another, much less look like one another, or even come from a common culture. But we can live together as neighbors so long as we recognize one another’s inherent dignity and worth.”
MLFA could not agree more with Judge Walker, and we are proud to be part of the effort lead by the Southern Poverty Law Center in partnership with CAIR LDF, and Akeel & Valentine in this case and around the Country.
As Charlie Swift who worked on this case observed “If the order had been allowed to stand, it could have created a precedent allowing state officials to label domestic advocacy groups as “terrorist organizations” without due process. the best thing about working for MLFA is the opportunity to be part of defending the constitutional rights not just of American Muslims but all Americans in cases like this.”
MLFA has long worked to ensure that Muslim individuals and organizations have access to strong, pro-bono legal defense when facing discrimination, political targeting, or violations of civil liberties. In this case, the organization helped elevate national awareness about the broader implications of the executive order and the potential impact it could have on free speech and civil society.
