09-07-2025
Supreme Court declines to lift hold on Florida's tough immigration law
In its order, the Supreme Court did not explain its reasoning, in line with typical orders on emergency appeals.
The Supreme Court, which has granted the Trump Administration sweeping wins in its aggressive push to crack down on illegal immigration, may consider the broader challenge of the law, which advocates say intrudes on federal power.
'This ruling affirms what the Constitution demands — that immigration enforcement is a federal matter and that no one should be stripped of their liberty without due process,' ACLU of Florida Executive Director Bacardi Jackson said in a statement following the ruling.
U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams ruled in April that Florida's law, which was approved in February by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, likely conflicted with federal immigration laws. An appeals court declined to pause her order.
Williams also held Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier in contempt last month after he directed state law enforcement officials to enforce the law in defiance of her order.
In his appeal, Uthmeier argued that Williams' order 'inflicts irreparable harm on Florida and its ability to protect its citizens from the deluge of illegal immigration.'
At least six other states have passed similar laws in recent years. The measures have fared poorly in lower courts, with several judges deciding they interfere with federal authority over immigration.
