A federal judge appointed by Donald Trump is expected to decide as soon as this week whether to continue blocking a key part of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's anti-immigration law. Last month, Judge Roy Altman found that the "human smuggling" provision of the law went beyond state authority. That section makes it a crime to transport undocumented individuals, even by U.S. citizens, and was pitched by DeSantis as a rebuke to the federal administration's immigration policies. But it has drawn a great deal of criticism from immigrant advocacy groups and the Mexican government.
The American Civil Liberties Union and other groups have argued that the law has caused extraordinary hardship in immigrant communities, and prevents people from visiting family members, going to work and practicing their religion. A preliminary injunction from Judge Altman has stopped any enforcement of this law, meaning law enforcement cannot detain drivers who they suspect might have undocumented passengers.
Take for instance Raquel López Aguilar, a Mexican national arrested under the statute who faces 20 years in prison. His case has caught the eye of support from and support of the Mexican government.
Altman has asked for new written briefs from both sides on the scope of the injunction. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has argued the injunction should apply only to the named plaintiffs. The ACLU and others are asking for the injunction to apply statewide.
This is just the latest in a string of legal setbacks for DeSantis. Most recently, another Trump-appointed judge threw out a state challenge to a federal law protecting kids in a health insurance program from being dropped. And in March, a settlement modified the state's controversial "don't say gay" law in Florida to include provisions that allow discussions on the topic of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.
The Governor's office did not respond to requests for comment regarding these legal setbacks
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