Federal Judge Threatens Florida AG with Contempt Over Immigration Law Dispute
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is facing the threat of contempt from a federal judge after refusing to comply with an order to halt enforcement of a controversial state immigration law. According to a Friday report, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams—appointed by President Obama—demanded that Uthmeier instruct state law enforcement to stop enforcing a statute that allows officers to charge undocumented immigrants with misdemeanors if they enter Florida to evade federal authorities.
Judge Williams argued that the law may violate the U.S. Constitution, citing the Supremacy Clause which grants the federal government sole authority over immigration policy. In her ruling, she indicated that Florida’s attempt to criminalize immigration enforcement at the state level was likely unconstitutional.
But Uthmeier isn’t backing down.
“The judge wants me to rubber-stamp an order that bars all Florida law enforcement from doing their jobs—even though they’re not part of this lawsuit,” Uthmeier told Fox News. “I’m not going to do that. The court has overreached and lacks jurisdiction. I will not instruct law enforcement to abandon their constitutional duties.”
The dispute stems from a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which celebrated the ruling as a victory for human rights. But Uthmeier painted a starkly different picture—warning that enforcing the court’s order could jeopardize public safety and undermine state sovereignty.
“If the court holds me in contempt for defending the law and respecting the separation of powers, so be it,” he said, warning that any move to detain him could spark a dramatic confrontation with the Trump administration and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who oversees the U.S. Marshals Service.
“This is about more than one state law,” Uthmeier said. “It’s about whether states have the right to protect their citizens when the federal government fails to do so. The ACLU wants to obstruct President Donald Trump’s efforts to enforce immigration law. We’re not going to let that happen. We will fight back.”
In a press release, the ACLU framed the decision as a major win for immigrant communities.
“This is a win for human rights, immigrant families, fairness, and the Constitution,” said Bacardi Jackson, Executive Director of the ACLU of Florida. “Florida politicians tried to criminalize people simply for being immigrants. The court rightly reminded them: immigration enforcement belongs to the federal government—not to governors and attorneys general with political agendas.”
ACLU Staff Attorney Oscar Sarabia Roman added: “Florida attempted to bypass federal immigration laws and punish people for simply crossing into the state. But it’s Congress—not the states—that sets immigration policy.”
Sui Chung, Executive Director at Americans for Immigrant Justice, called the ruling a return to core American values: “This affirms fairness, justice, and the rule of law. SB 4-C targeted immigrants and destabilized Florida communities. The court made clear: this law went too far.”
Despite the court’s warning, Uthmeier remains defiant, asserting that the law merely supports federal efforts—not contradicts them.
“All we’re doing is assisting in the enforcement of existing federal immigration laws,” he said. “Her expanded order oversteps legal bounds. We’ve filed a brief challenging it, and we’re prepared to take this battle to the appeals court.”
Judge Williams has stated she’s prepared to issue a preliminary injunction and expressed being “shocked” by Uthmeier’s open defiance—a clash that could escalate into a high-stakes legal and political showdown in the coming weeks.
