‘Do I need to put a ribbon on it?’: Judge lashes out at state AG for defying order stopping immigration arrests, says she’s ‘offended’ they’re continuing them

A national justice successful Florida lashed retired astatine the state’s lawyer general, James Uthmeier, successful tribunal Tuesday — slamming him and his ineligible squad for defying an bid she gave earlier this period that stopped section migration arrests — portion besides demanding answers.

“I’m not offended by idiosyncratic disagreeing with maine oregon my order,” said U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams, according to section ABC affiliate WPLG. “What I americium offended by is idiosyncratic saying, ‘You don’t person to abide by it!’” she told Uthmeier’s lawyers.

Williams, a Barack Obama appointee, issued a 14-day enactment connected April 4 that blocked a instrumentality signed into effect by Gov. Ron DeSantis successful February that gave authorities instrumentality enforcement the powerfulness to apprehension and prosecute undocumented immigrants. Williams ordered that the instrumentality not beryllium enforced successful Florida, arguing that it was the national government’s work to apprehend and litigate migrants, not idiosyncratic states.

Last week, Uthmeier directed authorities successful the Sunshine State to halt migration arrests from being carried out. He reworded his directive, though, conscionable days aboriginal — saying helium really “cannot prevent” the arrests from happening, according to the Miami Herald.

“Color maine amazed and shocked,” Williams reportedly said Tuesday, successful notation to Uthmeier’s about-face.

“Do I request to enactment a ribbon connected it?” she asked.

According to the Herald, Williams told Uthmeier’s ineligible squad that helium “threw everything retired of whack” with his reversal and present she’s forced to docket a show-cause hearing, which she acceptable for May 29. The justice ordered Uthmeier to amusement origin “on oregon before” May 12 connected wherefore helium should not beryllium held successful contempt oregon sanctioned for violating her TRO “through sending his April 23, 2025 missive to instrumentality enforcement agencies successful Florida advising them, successful part, that ‘no lawful, morganatic bid presently impedes [their] agencies from continuing to enforce.”

Robert Schenck, a lawyer who is representing the Office of the Attorney General — which, on with Uthmeier, is being sued implicit the caller authorities instrumentality — claimed astatine an April 18 hearing that portion authorities officials were blocked from issuing apprehension warrants nether Williams’ order, the authorities believed instrumentality enforcement officers did not person to comply due to the fact that they don’t enactment “in concert” with 1 another, per the Herald.

“Your honor, that is our knowing of the order,” Schenck said.

Williams tore into Uthmeier’s squad astatine that proceeding too, saying: “I’m astounded and don’t recognize this argument.”

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Jeffrey DeSousa, acting solicitor wide for the Florida AG’s office, said Tuesday that “there was a occupation with the scope of the order” arsenic helium raised akin arguments that Schenck made, the Herald reports.

“I’m acrophobic what the defendants neglect to grasp is the unsocial quality of instrumentality enforcement,” Williams said.

Multiple arrests person been carried retired successful usurpation of Williams’ order, according to the justice and section media outlets.

A Florida Highway Patrol trooper, for instance, arrested a U.S. national from Georgia successful northbound Florida nether the caller statute, according to reports. Juan Carlos Lopez Gomez, 20, was taken into custody connected April 16. The caller instrumentality requires undocumented big immigrants to archetypal cheque successful with national borderline authorities earlier entering Florida.

Immigration lawyers person called retired Florida instrumentality enforcement and section officials for what has happened to Lopez Gomez, saying it mirrors different situations that person unfolded crossed the state recently, including successful Maryland, wherever protected dada Kilmar Abrego Garcia was arrested and seemingly erroneously deported by national agents.

While Uthmeier’s bureau whitethorn beryllium taking a antithetic approach, WPLG reports that constabulary officials and region sheriff’s offices crossed the authorities person announced that they are complying with Williams’ demands, including Miami-Dade.

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