DeSantis reacts after 'activist' judge blocks Florida immigration law | FOX 35 Orlando
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DeSantis reacts after 'activist' judge blocks Florida immigration law

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Published  April 8, 2025 10:04am EDT
Florida
FOX 35 Orlando

The Brief

    • Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized judges across the country who challenge President Donald Trump's executive actions, claiming they believe they can run the federal government better than the elected president.
    • The statement was made days after Miami-based Judge Kathleen Williams issued a 14-page decision granting a request for a temporary restraining order against the new Florida immigration law.
    • He did not mention Williams by name but referred to her ruling, calling it an example of "a judge trying to throw sand in the gears, trying to prevent us from doing what's right."

A U.S. district judge temporarily blocked a Florida law last week aimed at cracking down on undocumented immigrants, citing federal jurisdiction over immigration enforcement.

Gov. Ron DeSantis responded to the judge's decision during a news conference Monday afternoon in Panama City Beach, calling the judge an "activist."

The backstory:

On April 4, Miami-based Judge Kathleen Williams issued a 14-page decision granting a request for a temporary restraining order against the law, which the Republican-controlled Legislature and DeSantis approved in February.

The law created state crimes for undocumented immigrants who enter or re-enter Florida. Williams issued the temporary restraining order two days after the Florida Immigrant Coalition, the Farmworker Association of Florida and two individual plaintiffs filed the lawsuit alleging, in part, that the law violates what is known as the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution because immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility.

A temporary restraining order is generally limited to 14 days, and Williams scheduled an April 18 hearing on the plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary injunction, which could block the law while the case continues to play out.

‘We’re obviously going to fight that'

What they're saying:

Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized judges across the country who challenge President Donald Trump's executive actions, claiming they believe they can run the federal government better than the elected president.

"We see all this stuff with these judges, with what they're doing around the country, thinking that they can run the federal government, the executive branch, better than the elected president can do," DeSantis said. "So all the stuff that President Trump is implementing with executive power, almost all of that gets challenged immediately in the courts."

He did not mention Williams by name but referred to her ruling against the Florida law, calling it an example of "a judge trying to throw sand in the gears, trying to prevent us from doing what's right."

"We had one of these activist judges down in South Florida rule that one of the laws that we very carefully crafted, working with the legislature to combat illegal immigration, that we can hold you accountable for illegally entering Florida, which we have used successfully, that somehow we're not allowed to do that," DeSantis said. 

We're obviously going to fight that. We're going to continue with our strong efforts to combat illegal immigration," DeSantis added. "No state is doing more to work with the Trump administration to enforce federal immigration laws. And to return illegals to their home country."

Illegal immigration crackdown

The backstory:

Under the new Trump administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and federal authorities have unleashed a string of targeted operations, arresting several thousand illegal immigrants since Trump’s second term began on Jan. 20.

ICE officers have been seen carrying out raids of homes, work sites and other establishments, while deportations also have ramped up, with the Trump administration beginning flights this week, transporting the most violent migrants to Guantánamo Bay.

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The Source: This story was written based on information reported by The News Service of Florida. Additional details on Gov. Ron DeSantis' comments are from a news conference he held on April 7, 2025, in Panama City Beach.

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