Supreme Court, Judge Block Florida Immigration, Ballot Laws

The U.S. Supreme Court has blocked enforcement of a Florida law criminalizing entry by undocumented immigrants, stating that immigration regulation falls under federal jurisdiction while litigation continues. Separately, a federal judge struck down a key provision of Florida's new election law that barred nonresidents and noncitizens from collecting and delivering signatures for citizen ballot initiatives, citing likely First Amendment violations and severe burdens on political expression. Other parts of the ballot law, such as registration requirements for petition gatherers and a temporary moratorium on petition processing, remain in effect. Legal challenges to the ballot restrictions were brought by committees advocating for Medicaid expansion, recreational marijuana, and environmental measures. Both judicial actions represent significant checks on Florida's recent legislative efforts to tighten regulations on immigration and citizen-driven ballot measures.