Supreme Court Rejects Florida Attempt To Ban Undocumented Immigrants From Entering

Supreme Court Rejects Florida Attempt To Ban Undocumented Immigrants From EnteringByAlison Durkee, Forbes Staff

Alison is a senior news reporter covering US and legal news

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier speaks at a press conference on May 19

TNSKey FactsThe Supreme Court denied Florida’s request to pause a lower court order, which blocked the state from enforcing its law making it a misdemeanor for undocumented immigrants to enter the state

Under the law, known as SB 4-C, anyone who “knowingly enters or attempts to enter [Florida] after entering the United States by eluding or avoiding examination or inspection by immigration officers” can be convicted of a first degree misdemeanor

District Judge Kathleen Williams blocked Florida officials from enforcing the law in April while litigation ceeds, and then ruled in June to hold Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier in civil contempt for evading the order and continuing to enforce the law

The law has so far resulted in multiple arrests, including the state mistakenly arresting U

The Supreme Court did not vide any reasoning for rejecting Florida’s appeal in their order Wednesday, nor did they note any justices that dissented and would have granted Florida’s request

What To Watch ForThe litigation over the Florida law is still, and it’s possible the Supreme Court could be asked to rule on it again in the future

TangentFlorida isn’t the only state where officials are battling in court to punish undocumented immigrants, as Texas has also been defending its state law allowing local police to arrest anyone they suspect unlawfully crossed the U. -Mexico border

A federal appeals court blocked that law in court last week, ruling it conflicted with federal law and that federal immigration authorities have sole power to “control immigration. ”Key BackgroundSB 4-C was one of a number of anti-immigration measures that Florida Gov

Ron DeSantis and the state’s GOP-controlled legislature enacted in February, which they framed as helping to support the Trump administration’s crackdown on undocumented immigration. “It is maximum coordination and collaboration with President Trump,” state Republican State Sen

Joe Gruters said in February, as quoted by NBC News

Florida has taken multiple other steps to back the Trump administration’s immigration agenda, including having its law enforcement work in agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and threatening punishments against localities in the state that decline to partner with ICE

The state has most recently come under widespread controversy for constructing what’s become known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” an immigration detention facility in the Florida Everglades that was built using state funds

The facility has sparked tests and reports of poor conditions for detainees, but has been hailed by the Trump administration, with President Donald Trump saying the site was “so fessional and so well done” during a visit to the detention facility in July and suggesting it could be a model for facilities in other states

Further ReadingJudge finds Florida attorney general in contempt for defying court order in major immigration case (NBC News)Trump's presence looms as Florida GOP passes immigration deal after weeks of infighting (NBC News)U

Citizen released from jail after arrest under Florida’s new anti-immigration law (Florida Phoenix)Got a tip

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