Supreme Court Blocks Enforcement of Florida Anti-Immigrant Law — For Now
Justices reject Florida’s bid to enforce SB 4-C, a state law criminalizing undocumented entry, leaving federal injunction in place while legal battle unfolds.
WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Florida’s request to enforce a controversial state immigration law that created new state-level crimes for undocumented immigrants. The denial leaves in place a federal injunction blocking the law while legal challenges proceed.
The unsigned order did not include a written explanation or any noted dissents, as is customary with emergency applications.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier had asked the court to stay a preliminary injunction issued in April by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams, who found the law likely encroached on federal immigration authority. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had already denied a similar request in June.
The law, known as SB 4-C, was passed during a February special legislative session and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. It makes it a felony for certain undocumented immigrants to enter or re-enter Florida and mandates pretrial detention without bond. It also prohibits so-called sanctuary policies and requires sheriffs to share immigration data with federal authorities. Violations of the statute could result in fines and suspension for local officials.
Judge Williams ruled that the statute likely violates the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, which gives the federal government exclusive authority over immigration enforcement. “Even if federal and state officials choose to commence parallel dual prosecutions under both laws,” Williams wrote, “SB 4-C’s mandatory detention provision limits federal law enforcement discretion.”
In its Supreme Court filing, the state argued that SB 4-C mirrors federal statutes and is necessary to protect Floridians. “Illegal immigration continues to wreak havoc in the state while that law cannot be enforced,” the request stated.
Uthmeier’s spokesperson Jae Williams said Wednesday that the state would continue to appeal. “Thanks to President Trump, we can still carry out the intent of Florida’s immigration law through our nation-leading number of 287(g) agreements with ICE, but Florida’s sovereignty cannot be left up to the whims of the next presidential administration,” Williams said.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which is helping challenge the law on behalf of immigrant rights groups and individuals, praised the Supreme Court’s denial.
“This denial reaffirms a bedrock principle that dates back 150 years: States may not regulate immigration,” said Cody Wofsy, deputy director of the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project, in a statement. Bacardi Jackson, executive director of the ACLU of Florida, added that the ruling “affirms what the Constitution demands — that immigration enforcement is a federal matter.”
The lawsuit against SB 4-C was filed April 2 by the Florida Immigrant Coalition, the Farmworker Association of Florida, and individual plaintiffs, naming Uthmeier and various state attorneys as defendants. Judge Williams issued a temporary restraining order April 4, extended it April 18, and later issued the preliminary injunction on April 29.
The legal fight has been contentious. Judge Williams previously found Uthmeier in civil contempt after he sent letters to police agencies suggesting the restraining order didn’t apply to them. Uthmeier argued that the order only applied to him and the other named defendants.
The Trump administration this week filed a brief supporting Florida’s position, urging the 11th Circuit to reverse the injunction.
The appeals court is expected to hear oral arguments in the case this October. Similar immigration laws in Texas, Oklahoma, Idaho, and Iowa are also facing legal challenges and could ultimately end up before the Supreme Court.
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