Florida halts migrant arrests in showdown with federal judge
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has instructed state law enforcement to halt the arrests of undocumented migrants under a new immigration law after a federal judge doubled down on a restraining order against the state.
The directive comes after U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams said during a Friday hearing she was “astounded” by the state’s decision to continue making arrests after she had issued a previous order directing officials to stop earlier this month.
The Florida Attorney General’s Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and former Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez attend the first day of the legislative session at the Florida State Capitol on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in Tallahassee, Florida. (Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
It is a misdemeanor for illegal immigrants to enter Florida, under state law.
In a letter to state officials, Uthmeier directed state law enforcement to comply with the judge’s order despite not agreeing with the decision.
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Incoming and outgoing immigration detainees are processed at the Krome Service Processing Center in Miami, Florida. (Jack Gruber/USA Today)
The order comes after attorneys suing the state revealed authorities have made 15 arrests in the last two weeks, including a U.S. citizen born in Georgia.
Last week, 20-year-old Juan Carlos Lopez Gomez was pulled over by Florida Highway Patrol near the Florida-Georgia border and subsequently taken into custody by immigration officials. It is unclear whether Gomez, who was detained under the new law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in February, provided identification upon being arrested.
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks on immigration issues and signs a Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations and the Florida Highway Patrol during a round-table event at Florida Gulf Coast University on Jan. 29, 2025. (Andrew West/The News-Press/USA Today Network)
Gomez was charged with illegal entry into Florida and held at the Leon County Jail, where U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) requested he remain in custody for up to 48 hours. The next day, Gomez was released after his mother provided his birth certificate, Social Security card and state identification card in court.
ICE and the Florida Immigrant Coalition did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
A task force, comprising local and federal law enforcement agencies, search a suspected illegal migrant’s vehicle in St. Johns County, Florida, on Monday, Feb. 24, 2025 following a traffic stop. (Stephanie Keith for Fox News Digital)
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The next hearing regarding the state’s enforcement of the law is set for April 29.
Fox News’ Dana McNicholl and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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