Even Floridians who support Israel or adore Ron DeSantis should recognize the danger here. No governor should have the power to label American organizations “terrorists,” strip them of their rights, and authorize criminal charges against their members and supporters, all based on secret evidence without any due process.
Stopping these bills is not just about protecting one civil rights group from Ron DeSantis. It’s about preventing him and future governors from targeting every nonprofit they dislike, whether the ACLU, the NRA, Planned Parenthood, National Right to Life or any other group on different sides of the issues that divide our nation.
Although these bills will likely face immediate legal challenges if enacted, the people of Florida have a chance to avoid that outcome by contacting their legislators and delivering a clear message: vote “no” on these bills to ensure that the Sunshine State does not become a police state.
Hiba Rahim is the interim executive director of the Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Florida).