• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
MENUMENU
MENUMENU
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • FlaglerLive Board of Directors
    • Comment Policy
    • Mission Statement
    • Our Values
    • Privacy Policy
  • Live Calendar
  • Submit Obituary
  • Submit an Event
  • Support FlaglerLive
  • Advertise on FlaglerLive (386) 503-3808
  • Search Results

FlaglerLive

No Bull, no Fluff, No Smudges

MENUMENU
  • Flagler
    • Flagler County Commission
    • Beverly Beach
    • Economic Development Council
    • Flagler History
    • Mondex/Daytona North
    • The Hammock
    • Tourist Development Council
  • Palm Coast
    • Palm Coast City Council
    • Palm Coast Crime
  • Bunnell
    • Bunnell City Commission
    • Bunnell Crime
  • Flagler Beach
    • Flagler Beach City Commission
    • Flagler Beach Crime
  • Cops/Courts
    • Circuit & County Court
    • Florida Supreme Court
    • Federal Courts
    • Flagler 911
    • Fire House
    • Flagler County Sheriff
    • Flagler Jail Bookings
    • Traffic Accidents
  • Rights & Liberties
    • Fourth Amendment
    • First Amendment
    • Privacy
    • Second Amendment
    • Seventh Amendment
    • Sixth Amendment
    • Sunshine Law
    • Third Amendment
    • Religion & Beliefs
    • Human Rights
    • Immigration
    • Labor Rights
    • 14th Amendment
    • Civil Rights
  • Schools
    • Adult Education
    • Belle Terre Elementary
    • Buddy Taylor Middle
    • Bunnell Elementary
    • Charter Schools
    • Daytona State College
    • Flagler County School Board
    • Flagler Palm Coast High School
    • Higher Education
    • Imagine School
    • Indian Trails Middle
    • Matanzas High School
    • Old Kings Elementary
    • Rymfire Elementary
    • Stetson University
    • Wadsworth Elementary
    • University of Florida/Florida State
  • Economy
    • Jobs & Unemployment
    • Business & Economy
    • Development & Sprawl
    • Leisure & Tourism
    • Local Business
    • Local Media
    • Real Estate & Development
    • Taxes
  • Commentary
    • The Conversation
    • Pierre Tristam
    • Diane Roberts
    • Guest Columns
    • Byblos
    • Editor's Blog
  • Culture
    • African American Cultural Society
    • Arts in Palm Coast & Flagler
    • Books
    • City Repertory Theatre
    • Flagler Auditorium
    • Flagler Playhouse
    • Flagler Youth Orchestra
    • Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra
    • Palm Coast Arts Foundation
    • Special Events
  • Elections 2024
    • Amendments and Referendums
    • Presidential Election
    • Campaign Finance
    • City Elections
    • Congressional
    • Constitutionals
    • Courts
    • Governor
    • Polls
    • Voting Rights
  • Florida
    • Federal Politics
    • Florida History
    • Florida Legislature
    • Florida Legislature
    • Ron DeSantis
  • Health & Society
    • Flagler County Health Department
    • Ask the Doctor Column
    • Health Care
    • Health Care Business
    • Covid-19
    • Children and Families
    • Medicaid and Medicare
    • Mental Health
    • Poverty
    • Violence
  • All Else
    • Daily Briefing
    • Americana
    • Obituaries
    • News Briefs
    • Weather and Climate
    • Wildlife

Attorney General Flouts Federal Judge’s Order Suspending Florida Immigration Law, and May Face Sanctions

April 30, 2025 | FlaglerLive | 11 Comments

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier faces possible sanctions at the hands of a federal judge in Miami for allegedly encouraging enforcement of a temporarily blocked immigration law.. (Florida Phoenix)
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier faces possible sanctions at the hands of a federal judge in Miami for allegedly encouraging enforcement of a temporarily blocked immigration law.. (Florida Phoenix)

Attorney General James Uthmeier could face contempt sanctions over a letter he sent to Florida law enforcement agencies labeling as illegitimate a court order suspending a state immigration law that led to the arrest of a U.S. citizen.

In an order issued late Tuesday night, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams wrote that Uthmeier will have to prove that he shouldn’t face legal consequences over his greenlighting of arrests under the law, which she had temporarily blocked as likely unconstitutional.




At issue is an April 23 letter Uthmeier sent to law enforcement declaring that he couldn’t stop them from enforcing first-degree misdemeanor penalties to suspects accused of entering the state as an “unauthorized alien.” The law adds heightened penalties for re-entry.

Tuesday’s order also extends the suspension of enforcement of the law through the remainder of the litigation. The defendants — Uthmeier, plus Florida’s statewide prosecutor and state’s attorneys — almost simultaneously filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

Williams scheduled a hearing to discuss sanctions for May 29 in federal court in Miami.

“Even prior to any formal discovery, there is evidence that AG Uthmeier has used his authority to encourage local law enforcement to continue making arrests under a law the Court has, for the time being, found unconstitutional,” Williams wrote.

Violation of court order

Uthmeier took office as attorney general in February, after Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed him to fill the vacancy left by predecessor Ashley Moody’s elevation to the U.S. Senate (also by DeSantis). Before becoming the state’s chief legal officer, Uthmeier was DeSantis’ chief of staff.




The class action by the Florida Immigrant Coalition, The Farmworker Association of Florida, and two women lacking permanent legal status came after DeSantis signed the law on Feb. 13.

Williams referred to Uthmeier’s letter as a violation of the court’s temporary restraining order barring enforcement of the illegal entry law, which she originally issued on April 4 and emphasized on April 18 that it applied to law enforcement.

florida phoenixThe irritated judge said she found it problematic and was offended by Uthmeier’s April 23 letter, in which he wrote that he believed “no lawful, legitimate order currently impedes your agencies from continuing to enforce Florida’s new illegal entry and reentry laws.”

“Do I need to put a ribbon on it?” Williams asked during a Tuesday afternoon hearing, referring to what more she could do to make her order legitimate.

Even then, Williams said she wouldn’t make Uthmeier sit for a deposition, a request plaintiffs’ attorneys said they have considered as the suit goes on. Although she didn’t discourage plaintiffs from filing a motion to depose Uthmeier, she said his state of mind when writing the letter was clear.

Acting Florida Solicitor General Jeffrey DeSousa told Williams the state viewed Uthmeier’s letter as explaining the position the defendants are arguing in court rather than an invitation to disobey the temporary block on the law. Instead, DeSousa shifted blame for the dispute to the plaintiffs, saying they should also have sued the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Highway Patrol, sheriffs, and police chiefs.




The defendants asked the court on Wednesday to pause the suspension of the law.

“The State would suffer the sovereign harm of having one of its laws enjoined, while continuing to suffer from the effects of illegal immigration,” the defendants’ attorneys wrote in a motion. “Meanwhile, the individual Plaintiffs continue with their violations of federal and state law and the organizational Plaintiffs seek to further that unlawfulness.”

Judge’s rebuttal

Williams pushed back against the defendants’ position that law enforcement isn’t bound by the suspension because they’re not named in the suit and Uthmeier lacks authority to discipline them.

In the order as well as during the hearing, Williams zeroed in on Uthmeier’s posts on X, stating that he had directed FDLE and FHP to monitor protests at Tesla dealerships and FDLE and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to execute a search warrant at a Panama City Beach aquarium.

“Those statements by the party Defendant support a conclusion that he exerts a measure of control over state and local law enforcement agencies’ criminal enforcement efforts, including those related to immigration,” Williams wrote in the order.

Allowing arrests that state prosecutors would be barred from pursuing in court would raise grave constitutional concerns, Williams wrote.

Continued arrests following the suspension of the law had prompted frustration from Williams. In her order, she mentioned the arrest of a U.S. citizen in Leon County.

An FHP trooper arrested Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez, a 20-year-old born in Georgia, on April 16. The case garnered national attention following Florida Phoenix’s reporting of the arrest without probable cause and Lopez-Gomez’s subsequent release from the Leon County Jail.

–Jackie Llanos, Florida Phoenix

Support FlaglerLive's End of Year Fundraiser
Thank you readers for getting us to--and past--our year-end fund-raising goal yet again. It’s a bracing way to mark our 15th year at FlaglerLive. Our donors are just a fraction of the 25,000 readers who seek us out for the best-reported, most timely, trustworthy, and independent local news site anywhere, without paywall. FlaglerLive is free. Fighting misinformation and keeping democracy in the sunshine 365/7/24 isn’t free. Take a brief moment, become a champion of fearless, enlightening journalism. Any amount helps. We’re a 501(c)(3) non-profit news organization. Donations are tax deductible.  
You may donate openly or anonymously.
We like Zeffy (no fees), but if you prefer to use PayPal, click here.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tom Hutson says

    April 30, 2025 at 5:54 pm

    What a crock of BS displayed by the Florida AG. Another red grandstanding like big daddy the orange man striving for attention. I personally hope the judge locks his ass up, he wants attention give it to him, period!

    17
  2. Deborah Coffey says

    April 30, 2025 at 6:46 pm

    No surprise here. Florida is competing with Trump for the greatest amount of Fascism. Corruption, illegality, ignoring the Constitution, cruelty, bigotry, racism, complete control of everyone’s body and mind, and all the filth you can think of…is now the “norm.” Hope the judge can get him locked up.

    17
  3. Sherry says

    April 30, 2025 at 7:09 pm

    Personally, I’m hoping the judge will slap a major contempt charge on that “arrogant, smug” Attorney General! If desantis were any kind of law abiding governor, he would be calling his AG on the carpet, at a minimum! Alas, that is not the case.

    16
  4. Richard Fay says

    April 30, 2025 at 7:35 pm

    I think the picture, accompanying this article, is one of a man show open contempt and an air of arrogance for both Florida’s and the United States’ constitutions. It is a shame that the elected and appointed politicos believe the rules based on their oath do not apply. This is a serious problem regardless of party affiliation.

    19
  5. Pogo says

    May 1, 2025 at 7:41 am

    @Richard Fay

    Agree completely.

    I would add, a nightmare on the way to hell.

    14
  6. c says

    May 1, 2025 at 8:28 am

    My big question is ? SO WHAT ?

    And, I do not mean that in any way to express denying the judges authority to issue ‘contempt sanctions’, but, just WHAT consequences will Uthmeier face if (wen) he further defies judgement orders?

    So far, I’ve seen almost ZERO consequences for any of the minor and major legal violations and refusals to comply with court orders from any level of governmental criminality. If nothing happens from not obeying, then why bother?

    And, as any parent of a two-year-old knows – if you threaten punishment and never deliver – you’re empowering a future monster. Same applies for a 70+ year old two-year-old.

    Put some of these smug bastards in a lockup for contempt for a few days (I hear San Salvador has a rental prisoner program).

    12
  7. The dude says

    May 1, 2025 at 11:58 am

    Defying the Federal courts in the service of MAGA.
    Of course the orange shit stain will pardon any federal charges that might come from this, lawless as he is.

    So for MAGA morons keeping track:
    Jan 6 rioters pardoned.
    Pretty much all white collar crime has been declared as not criminal.
    Ongoing defiance of the federal courts and their orders and injunctions.
    Masked goons grabbing people off the streets and bundling them off to foreign countries without due process.
    Deporting US citizens, children no less, with cancer in the middle of treatment.

    Yeah, we are in fact in the middle of a constitutional crisis.

    The last dying gasp of the Boomers’ political power hopefully, but who knows?

    7
  8. Judith G. Michaud says

    May 3, 2025 at 10:48 am

    Well, when the father sets the example the kids follow! This will never end will only get worse if the bone head Republicans don’t get off their butts and impeach and remove this maniacal clown from office! This is like watching Rome burn while Ceasar just watched. What the heck are they waiting for ?

    5
  9. Kennan says

    May 3, 2025 at 3:54 pm

    The dude has spoken. Thank you for the fact bombs. Well done, dude!

  10. Laurel says

    May 4, 2025 at 6:35 pm

    Kennan: You have missteped…or have you? Dude believes that all people my age are fascists out to ruin his life and he is helpless to do anything about it. What makes that thinking any different from maga thinking? None that I can see. But it does give him someone else to blame. Et tu?

  11. Kennan says

    May 6, 2025 at 8:46 am

    You are correct Laurel. Dudes points are well taken as far as what this administration is all about, but that certainly doesn’t apply to everyone over 50 for sure
    Thanks for the reminder. The pull up. I don’t want anyone judging for being 59.
    Gen Z pleasantly surprised me with their stance on Genocide in Gaza. A nuanced logical understanding of what’s going on. I’m glad I didn’t judge them like so many others.😊

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • Conner Bosch law attorneys lawyers offices palm coast flagler county
  • grand living realty
  • politis matovina attorneys for justice personal injury law auto truck accidents

Primary Sidebar

  • grand living realty
  • politis matovina attorneys for justice personal injury law auto truck accidents

Recent Comments

  • Whathehck? on Two Florida congressional Democrats Want Hope Florida Investigated
  • Kath on Margaritaville’s Compass Hotel in Flagler Beach Opens in Buffett-Themed Celebration of a Downtown Remade
  • Dennis C Rathsam on Margaritaville’s Compass Hotel in Flagler Beach Opens in Buffett-Themed Celebration of a Downtown Remade
  • Dennis C Rathsam on Palm Coast’s Golden Chopsticks Buffet Open Again 2 Days After Sanitation Inspection Ordered It Closed
  • Beach Cat on State Attorney Investigating Records Linked to Casey DeSantis’ Hope Florida
  • jim on Palm Coast’s Golden Chopsticks Buffet Open Again 2 Days After Sanitation Inspection Ordered It Closed
  • Skibum on The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, May 21, 2025
  • Keep Flagler Beautiful on Reversing Planning Board’s Decision, Palm Coast Council Approves 100,000-Sq.-Ft. Storage Facility on Pine Lakes Pkwy
  • Land of no turn signals says on Reversing Planning Board’s Decision, Palm Coast Council Approves 100,000-Sq.-Ft. Storage Facility on Pine Lakes Pkwy
  • Laurel on The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, May 18, 2025
  • Ray W, on The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, May 21, 2025
  • Sherry on AI Is Changing How Students Write
  • Laurel on Here’s What Makes the Most Dynamic and Sustainable Cities
  • laurel on Federal Judge Orders Florida to Follow Series of Steps to Protect and Feed Manatees
  • Laurel on Reversing Planning Board’s Decision, Palm Coast Council Approves 100,000-Sq.-Ft. Storage Facility on Pine Lakes Pkwy
  • JimboXYZ on Flagler County Clears Construction of 124 Single-Family Houses at Veranda Bay in Latest Phases of 453-Unit Development

Log in