
Florida's ongoing legal tussle over its controversial immigration law continues to escalate as Attorney General James Uthmeier's office seeks permission to enforce a statute that a federal judge currently blocks. Uthmeier's office filed a motion with the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, aiming for a stay of the preliminary injunction that U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams issued last week, as per WFSU. The law in question, passed during a special legislative session in February, established state crimes for undocumented immigrants entering or reentering Florida, a move aligned with the Trump administration's stance on illegal immigration.
The controversy deepened when Governor Ron DeSantis stood by Uthmeier in his decision to defy a federal court order to halt immigration arrests under this new law. DeSantis, emphasizing a larger issue of policy enactment in the U.S., supported Uthmeier, saying, "He's right on the law," and lauded his courage despite expected backlash, according to a Florida Phoenix interview. The appeal by the state is based on the argument that Florida law enforcement officers are not defendants in the lawsuit, thus not subject to the court order, a perspective that Williams's recent ruling sharply critiqued for raising grave constitutional concerns.
On the other hand, U.S. District Judge Roy Altman granted a preliminary injunction against the law's enforcement last year, detailing that it only applied to the Farmworker Association of Florida, its members, and the individual plaintiffs involved. The association represents approximately 12,000 members statewide, a number referenced in court documents. This injunction is now under appeal by Uthmeier's office, as reported by WFTV.
Meanwhile, as this legal battle unfolds, Judge Williams scheduled a hearing for May 29 to address the possibility of Uthmeier being held in contempt for violating the temporary restraining order.