Florida attorney general tells cops to stop immigration arrests, obey federal judge

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has directed state law enforcement officers to stand down on enforcing a new state immigration law, guidance that came shortly after a federal judge in Miami said she was “astounded” that state authorities had continued to make arrests despite her ordering them not to.

In a hearing in Miami federal court on Friday, lawyers suing the state said that as many as 15 arrests have been made by Florida law enforcement officers over the past two weeks in violation of an April 4 order issued by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams. One of the people arrested was a U.S. citizen born in Georgia.

Williams stopped short of considering holding state authorities in contempt of court. Instead, she extended her initial 14-day restraining order for another 11 days. She also made clear to lawyers with Uthmeier’s office that both state officials and law enforcement officers were bound by her order halting arrests of a new state law that targets undocumented immigrants entering Florida. The state law makes it a misdemeanor crime for undocumented immigrants who came into the United States without inspection to enter Florida.

Following the court hearing, Uthmeier told the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Florida Sheriffs and Florida Police Chiefs to “please instruct your officers and agents to comply with Judge Williams’ directives.” The arrest of the U.S. citizen was made by FHP.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/immigration/article304579541.html

Florida's top law enforcement official reminds law enforcement officers to obey the law.