A federal judge has temporarily blocked an executive order issued by Ron DeSantis that designated two Muslim organizations as foreign terrorist groups and restricted their access to state funding and contracts.

In a preliminary injunction issued Wednesday, Mark E. Walker ruled that the order cannot be enforced while a lawsuit challenging the policy moves forward. Walker wrote that the First Amendment limits a governor’s authority to use the power of his office to make political statements that could infringe on constitutional rights.

The executive order, issued last year, targeted the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Muslim Brotherhood. It directed Florida state agencies to block the organizations and anyone providing them material support from receiving government contracts, employment, or state funding.

Civil rights groups filed a lawsuit against DeSantis in December shortly after the order was announced. The complaint argues the governor overstepped his authority by attempting to designate terrorist organizations, a power that typically rests with the federal government.

Walker’s ruling does not resolve the case but temporarily prevents the order from being enforced while the legal challenge proceeds.

“The question before this Court is whether the Governor can, in a non-emergency situation, unilaterally designate one of the largest Muslim civil rights groups in America as a ‘terrorist organization,’” Walker wrote in the decision.

CAIR, which has more than 20 chapters nationwide, says its work focuses on legal advocacy, civil rights litigation, and community outreach. The organization argued in its lawsuit that the executive order unfairly targets the group and violates constitutional protections.

In court filings, CAIR also said it has consistently condemned terrorism and violence. The group claims the governor’s directive was issued in response to its defense of free speech rights in cases involving criticism of Israeli policy and support for Palestinian causes.

The dispute comes amid broader debates about terrorism designations and foreign policy in the United States. Earlier this year, Donald Trump signed a federal executive order designating several Middle Eastern branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations.

DeSantis’ office did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the judge’s ruling.

According to CAIR, roughly 500,000 Muslims live in Florida. The lawsuit will now continue in federal court as both sides argue whether the governor’s directive violates constitutional protections or falls within state authority.