MIAMI -- A group of sixteen travel agencies and charter operators filed a lawsuit in federal court Monday in an attempt to stop the implementation of a new state law business owners believe would put them out of business.

"It's a blatant attack on Cuban-Americans," said Ira Kurzban, at attorney representing the Cuban-American business owners.

Kurzban said the new law, the Florida Sellers of Travel Act, is unconstitutional and unfairly targets operators of charter flights between Miami and Cuba.

Under the law, scheduled to take effect Tuesday, companies organizing direct flights between Florida and designated "terrorist states" would be penalized. Cuba is considered a terrorist state.

Kurzban, who will argue Tuesday for a temporary restraining order, said there are no direct flights between Florida and any "state sponsor of terrorism" except for Cuba.

"It's an attack on Cuban-American businessmen," said Kurzban.

Tessie Aral, vice president of ABC Charters in Miami, said she books about six flights a week between Miami and Havana, primarily for Cuban-American families traveling to see relatives. She said word of the new law has had her phone ringing off the hook from worried travelers.

"They're all in a panic," said Aral.

Under the new law, charter operators would be required to post a $250,000 bond with the state before organizing any charter flights. Companies would also be required to disclose which people and companies they do business with.

Business owners like Aral claim they are being targeted. Aral said she had not decided yet what to do about flights booked to Cuba starting Tuesday.

"We'll have to make some difficult decisions" with lawyers, she said.

Aral said clients currently in Cuba would not be "abandoned."