Attorney General Uthmeier to face contempt hearing over enforcement dispute
Florida’s recent attempt to criminalize undocumented immigrants entering the state has ignited an immigration legal battle between state officials and federal courts.
In February 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 4C (SB 4C). According to this law, any illegal immigrants in America who tried to enter the state of Florida would be charged with a misdemeanor.
Shortly after the law’s enactment, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida filed a lawsuit challenging SB 4C. They argue that the law violates the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause by encroaching on federal immigration enforcement responsibilities.
Bacardi Jackson, the Executive Director of the ACLU of Florida, stated, “Florida politicians tried to turn fear into policy and made it a crime simply to exist as an immigrant in this state. The court rightly reminded them: immigration enforcement is a job for the federal government, not a political weapon for states to use.”
Federal judge blocks enforcement of SB 4C
On April 4, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams issued a 14-day temporary restraining order halting the immigration law’s enforcement.
The decision was made after reports that the Florida Highway Patrol had arrested more than a dozen under the new law, including a U.S. citizen. Judge Williams later extended the restraining order by 11 days upon learning of these arrests.
In response to the court’s injunction, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier initially advised law enforcement agencies to refrain from enforcing SB 4C despite his disagreement with the ruling.
However, five days later, Uthmeier sent another memo stating that the judge’s order was legally incorrect and that he couldn’t prevent local police officers from enforcing the law.
The contradictory guidance led Judge Williams to clarify that her order applied to all of the state’s local law enforcement agencies, regardless of whether they were named in the lawsuit. She expressed concern over Uthmeier’s actions and scheduled a hearing in May to determine if he should be held in contempt for undermining the court’s authority.
Appeal to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals
On April 30, Uthmeier filed an appeal with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, seeking to overturn Judge Williams’ injunction. According to him, the state law is in line with federal statutes, and the plaintiffs lacked legal standing.
Uthmeier maintains the stance that SB 4C exercises Florida’s sovereign authority to protect its citizens by aiding in the enforcement of federal immigration laws.
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