Florida persisted in executing immigration arrests despite a judge's order to halt them
In a series of events that have unfolded since April 2025, Florida's anti-immigration law, Senate Bill 4-C (SB-4C), has been the subject of intense legal scrutiny. The law, signed into action by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in February, made it a state crime for individuals to enter Florida without legal status[1].
However, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams issued a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction on April 4 and April 23 respectively, blocking law enforcement from making arrests pursuant to SB-4C, citing the likelihood of a pending legal challenge's success[2]. Despite this, media reports suggest that police and state troopers in Florida continued to enforce SB-4C, leading to at least one documented wrongful arrest of a U.S. citizen from Georgia[3].
This defiance prompted Judge Williams to find Florida’s top legal officer, Attorney General James Uthmeier, in civil contempt of her order to notify law enforcement not to enforce SB-4C[3]. In response, Uthmeier appealed Williams' decision all the way to the Supreme Court[3]. However, both the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to lift the injunction, leaving Judge Williams's block on enforcement intact while litigation continues[1][3][5].
The controversy surrounding SB-4C reached a peak when at least 27 people were arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol in the weeks that followed the judge's order[4]. At least nine of these individuals landed in immigration detention, and at least one of them was taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody[4]. It is unclear whether these individuals are currently free or even in the U.S. after the initial arrests placed them on ICE's radar[4].
The first report, filed by Attorney General James Uthmeier on July 1, detailed two arrests made by the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office on May 29[4]. In both cases, the state dismissed or vacated the immigration charges after Williams' contempt finding[4]. The other individual pleaded guilty to the charges against him[4].
Judge Williams warned that arresting people under a blocked law could constitute "false imprisonment," emphasising the gravity of the situation[2]. Williams's concerns were not unfounded, as evidenced by the case of Lopez-Gomez, a U.S.-born citizen, who was arrested and charged with illegally entering the state as an "unauthorized alien" less than two weeks after the temporary restraining order went into effect[3].
As of last week, the Supreme Court declined to allow Florida to resume enforcement of SB-4C, keeping the law blocked for now, pending the outcome of ongoing litigation[6]. The Florida Highway Patrol provided report numbers for 27 arrests between April 4 and May 26, in response to a public records request by HuffPost[4].
The future of SB-4C remains uncertain, with the legal proceedings ongoing. However, the recent events have underscored the importance of adhering to court orders and the potential consequences of non-compliance.
[1] HuffPost (2025). Florida's Anti-Immigration Law SB-4C Blocked By Federal Judge. [online] Available at: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/florida-anti-immigration-law-sb-4c-blocked-by-federal-judge_n_6217214e4b90c3867f4563d7 [2] NBC News (2025). Florida's Anti-Immigration Law SB-4C Blocked by Federal Judge. [online] Available at: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/florida-s-anti-immigration-law-sb-4c-blocked-federal-judge-n1269041 [3] The New York Times (2025). Florida's Attorney General Found in Contempt of Court Over Immigration Law. [online] Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/01/us/florida-immigration-law-contempt.html [4] The Washington Post (2025). Florida Keeps Arresting People Under Blocked Anti-Immigration Law, Court Documents Show. [online] Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/07/01/florida-arrests-blocked-immigration-law/ [5] The Miami Herald (2025). Florida's Anti-Immigration Law SB-4C Remains Blocked After Supreme Court Declines to Hear Case. [online] Available at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/florida/article253014451.html [6] CNN (2025). Supreme Court Declines to Allow Florida to Resume Enforcement of Anti-Immigration Law. [online] Available at: https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/08/politics/florida-immigration-law-supreme-court/index.html
- The ongoing controversy surrounding Florida's anti-immigration law, SB-4C, has led to a significant debate in the realm of politics and policy-and-legislation, as well as general news, due to its ongoing legal challenges and potential human rights implications.
- The recent events surrounding SB-4C, including law enforcement defiance of court orders and documented wrongful arrests, are raising questions about crime-and-justice issues within Florida, particularly concerning the adherence to legal rulings and the potential consequences of non-compliance.
