Tallahassee – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a staunch declaration Tuesday, December 10, 2025, affirming that the U.S. Constitution is the sole law in the Sunshine State, rejecting any “alternative religious law” under any pretext. The remarks, delivered during a Capitol press conference alongside the executive order designating CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations, underscore DeSantis’s escalating crusade against perceived threats to American legal supremacy.
“We recognize only one law: the United States Constitution,” DeSantis proclaimed, his voice resolute amid applause from state lawmakers. “And I will not allow any kind of ‘alternative religious law’ to creep into this state, under any guise.” The governor’s words, laced with references to “Sharia law creep,” signal an extension of his order’s mandate, directing agencies to probe and prosecute entities promoting foreign legal codes. It’s a direct riposte to recent pro-Palestinian protests and CAIR’s advocacy, which DeSantis ties to Islamist influence.
The announcement arrives on the heels of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s parallel move, but DeSantis’s rhetoric amps up the cultural stakes. “Florida will not be a testing ground for radical ideologies,” he added, eyeing legislation to ban Sharia arbitration in family courts—a practice critics say undermines women’s rights in divorce and inheritance. Supporters, including Rep. Randy Fine, hail it as a bulwark against “parallel societies,” citing FBI data on rising antisemitic incidents post-October 7.
Critics, however, decry it as Islamophobic fearmongering. CAIR’s Florida director, Thania Diaz, called it “a dangerous escalation that vilifies Muslims,” vowing a federal lawsuit for violating religious freedoms. The ACLU warned of First Amendment chills, noting similar bans have been struck down in other states. With 1.1 million Muslims in Florida, the order risks alienating a key voting bloc ahead of DeSantis’s 2026 reelection bid.
As Trump’s administration mulls federal designations, DeSantis’s stand positions Florida as ground zero in the clash over creed and code. In a nation wrestling with pluralism’s edges, the governor’s gauntlet raises a stark query: Safeguard the Constitution, or stoke division’s flames?
