Supreme Court declines to revive Florida immigration law

The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to overturn lower court rulings that blocked an aggressive Florida immigration law, which would have allowed the state to prosecute unauthorized illegal migrants who enter the state.

The court did not give an explanation for its ruling, according to the New York Times, which also did not list any dissents. The order was issued off an emergency application. 

The state immigration law, SB 4-C, makes it a crime for anyone to enter Florida after arriving in the U.S. illegally and evading immigration authorities. The Supreme Court last year allowed a similar Texas law to take effect.

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, blocked the state from enforcing the law indefinitely, ruling that the statute is likely preempted by federal immigration law and is unconstitutional.

Florida appealed the case to the Supreme Court last month after a three-judge panel on the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided to keep the block on the law in place.

The state's Attorney General James Uthmeier told the Supreme Court in his appeal that there should be no conflict between state and federal law from the state's new policy.

“Florida carefully crafted both provisions to precisely track, mimic and depend upon federal immigration law,” he wrote, adding that a contrary view “strikes at the heart of states’ ability to protect their citizens from the devastating effects of illegal immigration.”

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.