Judge finds Florida attorney general in contempt for defying court order in major immigration case

A national justice Tuesday recovered Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier successful civilian contempt aft helium snubbed a tribunal bid successful a high-profile immigration case and past boasted astir it successful interviews.

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams wrote that Uthmeier offered "a bid of implausible interpretations of the connection helium used" to reason helium was complying with the bid but that those interpretations were not believable.

"Litigants cannot alteration the plain meaning of words arsenic it suits them, particularly erstwhile conveying a court’s wide and unambiguous order," the judge wrote, ordering Uthmeier to record bi-weekly reports showing he's complying with her bid oregon hazard further tribunal actions.

Uthmeier's bureau did not instantly respond to a petition for remark Tuesday night.

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Williams has been presiding implicit a lawsuit challenging migration laws signed this twelvemonth by Gov. Ron DeSantis that marque it a misdemeanor for anybody successful the state illegally to participate oregon re-enter the state. She issued a restraining bid successful April barring enforcement, and Uthmeier sent retired a announcement to authorities agencies informing them of the order, adding that helium disagreed with it and intended to appeal.

Five days later, connected April 23, helium sent the instrumentality enforcement agencies a 2nd notice, saying his bureau had submitted a tribunal filing challenging the restraining order.

"Judge Williams ordered my bureau to notify you of the evolving scope of her order, and I did so," helium wrote. "But I cannot forestall you from enforcing (the challenged laws), wherever determination remains nary judicial bid that decently restrains you from doing so. As acceptable distant successful the little my bureau filed today, it is my presumption that nary lawful, morganatic bid presently impedes your agencies from continuing to enforce Florida’s caller amerciable introduction and reentry laws."

The justice asked wherefore she shouldn't find Uthmeier successful contempt, and helium contended that helium hadn't violated her bid due to the fact that helium hadn't enforced the caller laws and had notified authorities agencies astir her order.

The justice noted that helium struck a acold much defiant code successful media interviews.

"This justice is considering whether oregon not to clasp maine successful contempt. But I americium not going to rubber stamp her order. I’m not going to nonstop instrumentality enforcement to basal down connected enforcing the Trump docket and carrying retired Florida’s law," the justice quoted him arsenic saying successful 1 May 6 interview.

"I'm not going to bow down," helium added.

In different interrogation 2 days later, Uthmeier said, "she’s issuing this bid and saying you gotta archer them each to basal down. I’m not gonna bash that."

The justice said the comments were "relevant" due to the fact that "Uthmeier’s repeated reinforcement of his connection that instrumentality enforcement is not bound, intentional oregon not, increases the accidental of harm from his continued noncompliance."

"To beryllium clear, the Court is unconcerned with Uthmeier’s disapproval and disapproval of the Court and the Court’s Order. But respect for the integrity of tribunal orders is of paramount importance," Williams wrote.

She said helium "is escaped to broadcast his continued entreaty of the Court’s injunction and his presumption that the Court’s rulings are erroneous. However, erstwhile instructed to pass instrumentality enforcement that they are proscribed from enforcing an enjoined law, helium whitethorn not archer them otherwise."

She ordered him to record bi-weekly reports connected whether determination person been immoderate arrests oregon detentions nether the caller laws. "Finally, if Uthmeier does not comply with these remedial sanctions, the Court volition see further sanctions, including fines and fees to compensate Plaintiffs for costs of enforcing the Court’s order."