'We take our direction from the judge': Florida sheriff vows to ignore DeSantis directive

24 April

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on July 16, 2024 (Maxim Elramsisy/ Shutterstock.com)

On February 13, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law a bill making it a first-degree misdemeanor to illegally enter the Sunshine State as an “unauthorized alien” and imposing additional penalties for reentry. But on April 4 in Miami, U.S. District Court Judge Kathleen Williams issued an order temporarily blocking the law.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, on Wednesday, April 23, sent Florida law enforcement a letter saying that he won't stop them from enforcing the law — which has already led to arrests. However, Pinellas County, Florida Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, according to Florida Phoenix reporter Jackie Llanos, is saying he plans to abide by Williams' order and is telling his deputies not to arrest anyone under the law.

Gualtieri told the Phoenix, "I don't think it changes anything. We take our direction on something like that from the judge, not from anybody else."

In his April 23 letter, Uthmeier — a DeSantis ally — wrote, "I cannot prevent you from enforcing §§811.102 and 811.103, where there remains no judicial order that properly restrains you from doing so."

Regardless, Gualtieri, according to Llanos, said he is abiding by Williams' order.

DeSantis, meanwhile, is openly critical of Williams, who he described as an "activist judge" during an April 7 press conference. And in an April 23 post on X, formerly Twitter, the far-right Florida governor wrote, "The mission continues. Immigration law must be enforced and FL is leading on working with the Trump administration to get it done."

The Florida ACLU, the Community Justice Project and Americans for Immigrant Justice are among the groups and organizations fighting the law in court.

Community Justice Project Director Alana Greer, criticized Uthmeier's April 23 letter, saying, in a written statement, "A federal judge entered not one, but two clear and direct orders stopping enforcement of this law. The Attorney General's letter makes us gravely concerned that Floridians will continue to be arrested under this unconstitutional statute. We will be back in court to ensure their rights are protected."

Read the full Florida Phoenix article at this link.

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