Drew Dixon
An injunction blocking Florida from enforcing a law criminalizing undocumented immigrants was upheld by a judicial appeals court Friday.
The measure stipulated that the state could criminalize any undocumented immigrant as they come to the Sunshine State. But Friday, according to reports in the Miami Herald and other media outlets, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit Court in Atlanta agreed with a lower court’s ruling that prevented law enforcement and prosecutors from arresting those immigrants under the state’s SB-4 which was enacted in February after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the measure.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed the appeal to the higher court, which sought a stay on the temporary injunction. But the Atlanta appeals court disagreed with the Attorney General’s position.
“This is a difficult case, and this order does not finally resolve the issues,” states the order, issued by judges Jill Pryor, Kevin Newsom and Embry Kidd in Atlanta, according to the Miami Herald.
Immigration advocacy groups heralded the rejection of the appeal by Uthmeier. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was celebrating the appeals court decision.
In an ACLU press release, the organization said Uthmeier was overreaching repeatedly.
“The court also cited Attorney General Uthmeier’s troubling letter that had encouraged law enforcement officers to violate the district court’s injunction, which was recently the subject of a hearing in district court to consider possible contempt-of-court findings and sanctions,” the ACLU said in a press release.
Bacardi Jackson, Executive Director of the ACLU of Florida, said the Florida measure was out of line from the beginning.
“This ruling is not just a legal victory — it’s a resounding rejection of cruelty masquerading as policy,” Jackson said. “Florida lawmakers tried to use fear as law and racial profiling as governance. SB-4 was a flagrant abuse of power designed to punish immigrants and divide our communities. But the Constitution does not bend to political theater. This decision is a reminder that no matter how many times they try to turn back the clock on justice, we will meet them in court and on the streets — every single time. Our message is simple: immigrants belong, and we will never stop fighting for their freedom and dignity.”
11 comments
Andrew
June 8, 2025 at 1:13 pm
These idiot judges who think they run this country and keep blocking the efforts to remove the “illegal invaders” need to be reined in and put in their place. The people voted this administration in with the belief that they would tackle this “invasion” problem, and they are trying to do just that. Try invading another country illegally and see what they do. Oh yeah, the other countries are not full of liberal morons – never mind !!!!
But here's a thought...
June 9, 2025 at 1:20 pm
Maybe the government should try, I don’t know, actually following the law?
Foghorn Leghorn
June 8, 2025 at 2:28 pm
Lunatic liberal wacko judges. They are ILLEGAL. Libs can’t define what an illegal is. They also can’t define male and female
Paul S.B.
June 9, 2025 at 10:45 am
Even the judge appointed by Trump agrees with the order. Trump is putting himself in the mess. It is not wall “wacko liberal” judges. It is that Trump is doing so many things against the law that he is getting sued left and right. All presidents get sued, and judges have always entered orders stopping things they see as unlawful. Remember when a district judge got rid of the mask mandate on airplanes? Oh no that was OK but this is not? This is how the system works. The system is working overtime because Trump wants to be above the system.
Michael K
June 8, 2025 at 2:52 pm
Immigration is a federal jurisdiction. Imagine the chaos of 50 different immigration laws. There once was a bipartisan immigration reform bill that would have passed in the previous Congress. But one man running for president preferred to spew lies about Haitians eating cats and dogs rather than working to find solutions.
Foghorn Leghorn
June 8, 2025 at 3:10 pm
Your party claimed they couldn’t stop the flood of illegals back during their gross mismanagement of the Southern Border. Well it’s basically closed now. How bout them apples?
Andy
June 8, 2025 at 6:19 pm
The government just needs to pass an immigration policy. Vote on a bill that addresses all concerns.
The bill will get challenged and the supreme court makes final decision.
All this semantics is political theater. Republicans have the vote , pass a policy!
As Americans we live it with it, that’s democracy!
Bill
June 9, 2025 at 7:19 am
It’s easier not to do the work of Government and just use it as a wedge issue to beat the other party over the head with unfortunately. I’m not sure if it’s laziness or incompetence but I’m not optimistic either way.
Andy
June 8, 2025 at 6:19 pm
The government just needs to pass an immigration policy. Vote on a bill that addresses all concerns.
The bill will get challenged and the supreme court makes final decision.
All this semantics is political theater. Republicans have the vote , pass a policy!
As Americans we live it with it, that’s democracy!
KJP
June 8, 2025 at 8:13 pm
The Demos had the votes when Slo Joe opened the gates on the Southern Border. They had no interest then.
Dave
June 9, 2025 at 9:10 am
I disagree with the judge, this is not a complicated issue.
The Federal Government is responsible for immigration law, not the State of Florida. The states can regulate immigrats in matters like “education, employment, licensing, and public benefits”, but actual immigration law is pre-empted to the Federal Government under Artl.S8.C18.8.8.5
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