Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a new law granting state authorities the power to designate organisations as domestic or foreign terrorist groups and expel students from public universities found supporting them.

The law, signed on Monday, allows a senior official from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to propose such designations, which must then be approved by the governor and members of the state Cabinet.

Once designated, organisations can lose access to state funding and may be dissolved. Universities are also required to take action against students who “promote” such groups, including expulsion, with additional consequences for international students.

Governor DeSantis has framed the move as necessary to safeguard public institutions and prevent support for extremist organisations.

However, the law has drawn sharp criticism from civil liberties groups and free speech advocates, who argue that its broad scope could be used to target dissent and restrict campus activism. Organisations such as PEN America and the Council on American-Islamic Relations have warned that the measure raises serious concerns around constitutional rights, particularly freedom of speech and association.

The legislation follows earlier attempts by the DeSantis administration to label certain organisations as terrorist entities, some of which faced legal challenges in court.

The law is set to take effect later this year, adding to an ongoing debate in the United States over the balance between national security and civil liberties.