Florida officials have ordered a pro-Palestinian student group with chapters on college campuses in the state to be “de-activated” by administrators after the group said its members are part of “the resistance” in Israel.

In a letter to the presidents at 12 campuses, the State University System chancellor, Ray Rodrigues, said Students for Justice in Palestine broke state law when it issued a statement saying “Palestinian students in exile are PART of this movement, not in solidarity with this movement.” Mr. Rodrigues said it is a felony in Florida to “knowingly provide material support … to a designated foreign terrorist organization.”

The university system, working with Governor DeSantis, is working “to ensure we are all using all tools at our disposal to crack down on campus demonstrations that delve beyond protected First Amendment speech into harmful support for terrorist groups.”

School officials who disregard the order, he said, could be subject to “adverse employment actions and suspension.”

The letter singled out Students for Justice in Palestine chapters at both the University of Florida at Gainesville and the University of South Florida. The group also has chapters at Florida State University, Florida Atlantic University and Florida International University.

Earlier this week, Mr. DeSantis, on the campaign trail in Iowa, called for revoking the visas of foreign students demonstrating on American campuses on behalf of Hamas. If elected president, he said, “I’m sending you home.”

In response to the letter from Mr. Rodrigues, the Gainesville chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine said the effort to expel the group is “disgraceful” and a clear violation of the First Amendment.

“Governor DeSantis continues to disrespect American values such as freedom of speech to extend his political power,” the statement said. “To bend the law in this manner shows the utmost disrespect not only to any pro-Palestinian organization, but also to anyone who truly cares for political freedom and freedom of speech.”