Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is under scrutiny after issuing conflicting directives to law enforcement agencies about a federal court order halting enforcement of a controversial state immigration law, which makes it a crime for an undocumented adult who came to the U.S. without checking in with border authorities to enter Florida.
On Wednesday, Uthmeier told police agencies that he “cannot prevent” them from making such arrests despite an injunction from U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams that prohibits such enforcement. Moreover, Uthmeier himself had said on Monday that state police officers should stand down on enforcing a new state immigration law.
Judge Williams extended a temporary restraining order on the matter until April 29. She issued the original order on April 4, blocking the state from enforcing the law, emphasizing that the injunction applied not only to Uthmeier and state prosecutors but also to all state, county, and local police acting “in active concert or participation” with them…