Florida AG held in contempt for enforcing law criminalizing illegal immigrants after judge blocked it

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier was held in contempt of court on Tuesday after defying a federal judge’s order to comply with a temporary pause on a state law that criminalizes illegal immigrants entering Florida.

US District Judge Kathleen Williams had issued a temporary restraining order in April, halting enforcement of the law, which was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis in February. The law makes it a misdemeanor for anyone living in the US illegally to enter Florida. The legislation comes amid the broader immigration crackdown by the federal government.

Williams initially issued a 14-day temporary restraining order after a lawsuit was filed against the legislation. She then extended it another 11 days after learning Florida Highway Patrol had arrested over a dozen people, including someone who is a US citizen, a report by Fox News noted.

Despite the court’s April 18 directive barring Florida law enforcement from enforcing the law and requiring Uthmeier to notify officers accordingly, he later issued a memo on April 23 stating that "no judicial order…properly restrains you from" enforcing immigration law. He added, "no lawful, legitimate order currently impedes your agencies from continuing to enforce" the law.

This directly contradicted the judge’s prior order. On April 29, Judge Williams ordered Uthmeier to explain why he should not be held in contempt. Ultimately, she ruled that his actions violated the court’s directives.

In response to the ruling, Uthmeier posted on X, "If being held in contempt is what it costs to defend the rule of law and stand firmly behind President Trump's agenda on illegal immigration, so be it.”

The judge also ordered that Uthmeier must now file bi-weekly reports detailing any arrests and detentions related to the enforcement of the law. Williams warned that if he "does not comply with these remedial sanctions, the Court will consider further sanctions, including fines and fees to compensate Plaintiffs for costs of enforcing the Court’s order."