TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A federal judge on Tuesday found Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier in civil contempt of court, citing his failure to ensure compliance with a restraining order blocking enforcement of a controversial state immigration law, Senate Bill 4-C (SB 4-C).
Judge Kathleen M. Williams, appointed by former President Barack Obama and serving on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, ruled that Uthmeier did not provide adequate notice to law enforcement agencies regarding the court’s order halting enforcement of SB 4-C. The law, which targets undocumented immigrants, has drawn national scrutiny for encouraging state cooperation with federal immigration authorities under former President Donald Trump’s administration.
Despite the court’s previous ruling, local police reportedly continued to enforce the law and coordinate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), prompting the judge’s contempt finding.
As part of the court’s order, Uthmeier must now file biweekly reports detailing any law enforcement actions taken under SB 4-C. These reports must include information about any arrests, detentions, or related activities, as well as which agencies were involved and when the actions occurred. The first report is due by July 1. Uthmeier may seek to modify or end the reporting requirement after six months.
Uthmeier has publicly pushed back against the court’s demands, claiming the judge overstepped her authority.
“There’s not a single law enforcement agency as a party in front of the court in this case,” Uthmeier said in May. “As a lawyer, the first day of law school, they tell you about separation of powers. They tell you that a judge can’t order people around who are not under the jurisdiction of the court. So I’m not going to do that.”
He further stated, “I’m not going to bow down and withhold my oath. I gave an oath to the Constitution and that’s where my loyalty lies.”
Uthmeier has argued that law enforcement agencies not named in the lawsuit are not legally bound by the restraining order. “If they want to arrest people under the law, if they want to hand them over to ICE, if they want to help the Trump administration carry out detentions and deportations, they have the legal authority to do that, and I’m not going to stand in their way.”
The legal battle surrounding SB 4-C is expected to continue, with civil rights organizations like the ACLU pushing for stricter enforcement of the judge’s order and broader protections for immigrants across the state.