TAMPA, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis signed a measure into law Monday that empowers him and other Florida officials to label groups as domestic or foreign terrorist organizations, igniting a firestorm of criticism from free speech advocates.
The law allows a top official at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to designate a group as a terrorist organization, a designation that would require approval from the governor and three other cabinet members. When a group is designated as such, state funding can be eliminated, and universities must provide reports on the status of affected students.
“This will help the state of Florida protect your tax dollars,” DeSantis stated at a news conference. “It will help us protect things that should not be happening in America, especially in Florida.”
However, the law has drawn scrutiny for its vague language, with advocates fearing it could restrict educational programs perceived to promote terrorism and target student protestors criticizing state officials. PEN America, a prominent free speech advocacy group, warned that the implications of the law could chill educational discourse.
In previous months, DeSantis designated the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations, but enforcement of this designation was recently blocked by a federal judge. Community leaders are concerned that this new law will further exacerbate tensions and discrimination within educational institutions.
