Florida AG Held in Contempt Over Immigration Law

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier was found in civil contempt by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams for violating her order to halt enforcement of a law criminalizing undocumented immigrants entering Florida. Although Uthmeier initially advised law enforcement to comply with the court's restraining order, he later contradicted this by telling officers they could still enforce the law. Judge Williams, quoting Lewis Carroll, emphasized that judicial orders must be followed as written, not reinterpreted by litigants. Uthmeier is now required to submit bi-weekly reports for six months on law enforcement actions under the blocked law. He defended his actions as principled support for Trump-era immigration policies, while legal experts cautioned that further defiance could result in fines or jail. The case highlights ongoing conflict between Florida officials and federal authority over immigration enforcement.