Chilling Power Grab: Florida Can Now Brand Groups as “Foreign Terrorists”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chilling Power Grab: Florida Can Now Brand Groups as “Foreign Terrorists”
Today, Muslims for Just Futures (MJF) and The Internationalist Law Center (ILC) issued a joint statement condemning the signing of HB 1471 and HB 1473 , warning that these laws represent a sweeping expansion of state authoritarian power that threatens free speech, criminalizes dissent, and creates one of the most repressive environments for advocacy in the country. Both organizations warn that this sets a dangerous precedent that could spur similar repressive legislation across the country.
“The Internationalist Law Center strongly opposes Governor Ron DeSantis’s signing of HB 1471 and HB 1473. DeSantis himself has conceded that these bills will likely be challenged in court, revealing the true purpose of passing these bills: to create an Islamophobic chilling effect that will scare organizations and advocates in Florida from disagreeing with the government and cultivating solidarity with their Muslim and Palestinian allies. Floridians must legally challenge these bills, but must also rise above the division these bills are sowing into our movements that would far outlast the text of these bills.” - The Internationalist Law Center
“Muslims for Just Futures strongly condemns the passage of legislation in Florida that grants the state sweeping and dangerous new authority to designate domestic organizations as foreign terrorist organizations. This unnecessary expansion of state power duplicates existing federal mechanisms while creating a new, highly politicized tool that can be weaponized against organizations, students, and anyone who dares to challenge or criticize the government. This law establishes one of the most chilling and repressive environments for movement organizations and dissenting voices in the country, and it should alarm everyone who values democracy. Under the pretext of combating terrorism, these measures dramatically expand authoritarian state power and pose a direct threat to fundamental civil liberties, including the right to free speech and association.
Organizations targeted under this framework face devastating consequences from loss of access to state funding, sweeping restrictions on receiving financial or in-kind support, exposure to severe criminal penalties, and a complete lack of transparency regarding the evidence used to justify their designation. At the same time, individuals, including donors, employees, and supporters, can be criminally prosecuted for providing broadly defined “material support,” encompassing funds, services, training, or expertise. These laws set a dangerous precedent that could spur similar repressive legislation across the country.” - Muslims for Just Futures
Muslims for Just Futures is a national grassroots organization that builds power in Muslim communities through organizing, advocacy, and movement-building.
The Internationalist Law Center advances litigation policy advocacy, and community organizing campaigns primarily in the U.S. South to ensure that public funds are invested in local needs instead of human rights violations in the Global South.
Please reach out to MuslimsforJustFutures@protonmail.com for more information.
