Court issues rare reprimand after Attorney General James Uthmeier encourages law enforcement to ignore injunction blocking anti-immigrant law SB 4-C
MIAMI, FL — In a rare and forceful rebuke, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida has imposed sanctions against Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier for violating a federal court order halting enforcement of Florida’s controversial immigration law, SB 4-C.
The decision comes after the court found Attorney General Uthmeier’s April 23 letter to law enforcement contradicted the court’s clear directive and undermined its authority. The letter defiantly claimed “no lawful, legitimate order currently impedes” enforcement of SB 4-C, even though the court order did just that. The court order prohibited any arrests or enforcement actions under the unconstitutional law and required the Attorney General to provide “actual notice” of the block to law enforcement agencies statewide.
Upon finding Attorney General Uthmeier in contempt for violating the court’s previous order, the court has ordered him to file biweekly reports of any enforcement of S.B. 4-C. The Court explained: “The bi-weekly reports are meant to shift the costs of continued monitoring for violative law enforcement activity—made necessary by Uthmeier’s contumacious conduct—onto Uthmeier and away from Plaintiffs.”
The lawsuit, brought by the Florida Immigrant Coalition, the Farmworker Association of Florida, and several impacted individuals, challenges SB 4-C as unconstitutional and preempted by federal immigration law. Plaintiffs are represented by the ACLU, the ACLU of Florida, Americans for Immigrant Justice, and the Community Justice Project.
Joint Statement from the Plaintiffs:
“This ruling proves that our voices matter and that truth and the rule of law can prevail. We took a stand because this law endangers lives, and today, the court made it clear that no one is above the law.
“When the Attorney General suggested law enforcement could continue enforcing a law that had already been blocked, he ignored the court, the people, and his duties as an officer of the court and officer of our state. These sanctions are a step towards justice and a reminder that communities like ours won’t be silenced.
“We were targeted, misled, and made to feel we didn’t belong. But this decision is proof that the constitution protects all of us — not just those in power.”
Statements from legal counsel representing the plaintiffs are below:
“This sanction and legal reprimand is a rare and resounding affirmation that no one is above the law — not even the most powerful people in the state,” said Bacardi Jackson, Executive Director, ACLU of Florida. “When the Attorney General of Florida — the state’s chief legal officer — incorrectly and deliberately told law enforcement officers across the state that no lawful order prevented them from enforcing SB 4-C, he didn’t just misstep, he willfully misled them. His actions weren’t about policy — they were about undermining the rule of law and fueling an anti-immigrant agenda, regardless of the human cost. The court’s decision to impose sanctions sends a powerful message: judicial orders are not suggestions, and public officials cannot ignore them without consequence.”
“SB 4-C is a cruel, unconstitutional law designed to punish people based on who they are and where they come from,” said Amy Godshall, Legal Fellow and Immigrants’ Rights Attorney at the ACLU of Florida. “It threatens to tear apart families, detain the innocent — including U.S. citizens — and trample on rights enshrined in our Constitution. Today’s sanctions are a critical moment of accountability.”
“Court orders apply to everyone, no matter how powerful,” said Cody Wofsy, Deputy Director of the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project. “Irresponsible and dangerous actions like the Attorney General’s letter threaten to erode the rule of law on which we all rely.”
“The court’s decision affirms a fundamental truth: the rule of law must be upheld, and judicial orders cannot be ignored without consequence. Federal courts play a critical role in ensuring that laws are enforced fairly and constitutionally,” said Sui Chung, Executive Director of Americans for Immigrant Justice. “When legal directives are disregarded, it undermines trust in our justice system and threatens the integrity of due process. Today’s ruling reinforces that no entity is above the law and that compliance with court orders is essential to safeguarding rights and accountability.”
While the broader challenge to SB 4-C continues, today’s ruling reinforces an important principle: state officials must respect federal court orders and the constitutional limits of their authority. It serves as a reminder that the courts play a vital role in ensuring that the law is followed and that the rights of all people are protected from government overreach.
Read the court’s order here.
