The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday denied Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier’s request to lift an Obama-appointed judge’s order blocking enforcement of the state’s anti-illegal immigration laws.
Last month, a federal judge held Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier in contempt of court for enforcing the state’s immigration laws.
Uthmeier previously told the Obama-appointed judge he would not order state authorities to stop enforcing immigration law.
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams, an Obama appointee, issued an injunction claiming Florida’s immigration law violates the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause, following a lawsuit filed by the anti-American ACLU.
Uthmeier directed state law enforcement to keep enforcing immigration laws, despite the judge’s injunction barring them from doing their jobs. Despite the threat of contempt, AG Uthmeier refused to back down to the judge.
“That law does nothing more than exercise Florida’s inherent sovereign authority to protect its citizens by aiding the enforcement of federal immigration law,” Uthmeier wrote last month. “I’m just not going to do that. We believe the court has overstepped and lacks jurisdiction there, and I will not tell law enforcement to stop fulfilling their constitutional duties.”
Judge Williams denied Uthmeier’s request to pause her injunction while he appealed to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Last month, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals denied a similar request by Uthmeier.
In mid-June, Judge Williams held Uthmeier in contempt of court and ordered him to submit biweekly reports detailing any arrests, detentions, or law enforcement actions.
Late last month, Uthmeier filed an emergency appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court seeking relief from Judge Williams’ order.
Without explanation, the Supreme Court denied Uthmeier’s emergency application.
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