Florida AG Uthmeier Defies Federal Judge’s Order to Halt State Immigration Law Enforcement

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is drawing a bold line in the sand, refusing to comply with a federal judge’s order that would halt state immigration enforcement. Uthmeier plans to formally challenge Judge Kathleen Williams’ ruling, which temporarily blocks the enforcement of Florida’s controversial immigration law—one that lets the state charge illegal immigrants with misdemeanors if they try to sidestep federal authorities.

Uthmeier argued, "The judge wants me to approve an order stopping all state law enforcement from enforcing Florida’s immigration laws, even though no law enforcement agency is actually a defendant in this case." He insisted that the court has no jurisdiction to make such demands and said, "I will not tell law enforcement to stop fulfilling their constitutional duties." Standing his ground, Uthmeier declared that he shouldn’t be held in contempt just for respecting the rule of law and the separation of powers.

The legal battle started when the ACLU challenged the law, claiming it violates the Supremacy Clause, which makes federal law supreme over state law. Bacardi Jackson, the ACLU of Florida’s executive director, accused state politicians of criminalizing immigrants simply for existing, and praised the court for reminding everyone that immigration enforcement is strictly a federal job.

Despite the injunction, Uthmeier asked the court to allow the Florida Highway Patrol to keep enforcing the law, even as Judge Williams expressed surprise and frustration that arrests continued while the case is on appeal. Uthmeier fired back in a memo, saying the judge’s expansion of her order to agencies not originally part of the lawsuit was "just wrong," and that his office would keep fighting to defend the state’s actions in court and on appeal.

Judge Williams, for her part, was openly offended by the suggestion that her order could be ignored, emphasizing the seriousness of her injunction. But Uthmeier’s memo to police chiefs, sheriffs, and state agencies maintained that he cannot stop them from enforcing the new law while the legal tug-of-war continues.

Behind the scenes, there’s even talk that if Uthmeier ends up in court, a U.S. Marshal might be called in—proving once again that when it comes to immigration law in Florida, the drama never really takes a day off. And in lighter news, Uthmeier posted a photo grinning alongside U.S. Marshal Greg Leljedal, calling it a "great meeting." Well, at least someone’s finding reasons to smile in all this legal chaos.