In a significant legal development, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams has temporarily blocked a controversial Florida law that sought to criminalize undocumented immigrants re-entering the state. The decision underscores the federal government’s sole authority to regulate immigration—a power the new state law appeared to challenge.
Williams issued a 14-page ruling on Friday granting a temporary restraining order against Senate Bill 4-C (SB 4-C), a measure passed during a February special session by Florida’s Republican-led Legislature and signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis. The law created new state-level criminal penalties for undocumented immigrants who enter or re-enter Florida after prior removal or deportation.
Williams sided with a coalition of advocacy groups and individuals who filed a lawsuit just days earlier, including the Florida Immigrant Coalition, the Farmworker Association of Florida, and two individual plaintiffs. Represented by attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Americans for Immigrant Justice, the plaintiffs argued that the law is unconstitutional, pointing to the Supremacy Clause, which gives the federal government exclusive control over immigration policy.
“Plaintiffs persuasively posit that SB 4-C unlawfully encroaches on federal authority,” Williams wrote, emphasizing that the state law disrupts the balance of immigration enforcement designed by Congress.
The judge raised concerns about several provisions in SB 4-C, particularly its mandatory nine-month prison sentence for first-time offenders and even harsher penalties for repeat offenses. She also noted that the law interferes with federal discretion by requiring pre-trial detention, which could conflict with federal decisions about prosecution or release.
“Even when federal officials choose to commence dual prosecutions under both laws, (SB 4-C’s) mandatory detention provision limits federal law enforcement discretion to recommend pre-trial release and obstructs federal courts’ ability to conduct proceedings requiring defendants’ presence,” Williams wrote.
Although the temporary restraining order is limited to 14 days, it signals a serious challenge to the law’s future. Judge Williams has scheduled a hearing for April 18 to consider a preliminary injunction, which could block enforcement of the law while the case proceeds.
In addition to the Supremacy Clause argument, the lawsuit also invokes the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution, contending that SB 4-C places an unlawful burden on interstate and international commerce by attempting to regulate who can enter Florida.
While Judge Williams did not base her ruling on the Commerce Clause, she acknowledged that the plaintiffs’ arguments on that front bolster their case for blocking the law.
SB 4-C was one of two immigration-related bills approved during Florida’s special legislative session, with supporters saying the move aligned with efforts to reinstate former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. Notably, the lawsuit only challenges SB 4-C, not the second measure passed during the session.
As of now, the state of Florida has not filed a legal response in the case.