A federal judge has temporarily blocked Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' executive order designating two Muslim groups as foreign terrorist organizations. U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker issued a preliminary injunction, ruling that the First Amendment prevents the governor from using his office to make political statements at the expense of constitutional rights.

The order targeted the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Muslim Brotherhood. CAIR, which has more than 20 chapters across the United States, sued DeSantis in December, claiming the executive order unlawfully usurps federal authority to designate terrorist organizations. The injunction halts enforcement while the lawsuit proceeds.

Judge Walker's ruling emphasizes that the governor cannot unilaterally label one of America's largest Muslim civil rights groups as a terrorist organization and withhold state benefits from those who support it. The case highlights ongoing concerns about anti-Muslim bias that has persisted since September 11, 2001, and intensified during the Gaza conflict.