A federal appeals court has scheduled arguments Jan. 26 in a battle between Florida and the Biden administration about immigration policies.
A panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments in Atlanta, according to a schedule issued this week.
The Biden administration appealed two rulings by U.S. District Judge T. Kent Wetherell that blocked federal immigration policies.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office challenged the policies, as Moody and Gov. Ron DeSantis have long criticized the federal government’s handling of border issues.
Read: Retaliation Alleged Over Florida Gov. DeSantis Travel Records
The state filed a lawsuit in 2021 alleging that the Biden administration violated immigration laws through “catch-and-release” policies that led to people being released from detention after crossing the U.S. border.
The state has contended, in part, that undocumented immigrants move to Florida, creating costs for such things as the education, health care, and prison systems.
The 2021 lawsuit ultimately led to a March ruling by Wetherell that blocked what was known as the federal “Parole Plus Alternatives to Detention,” or Parole+ATD, policy.
Read: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Says Nikki Haley Will Allow Dimon, Big Business ‘To Call The Shots’
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security subsequently moved forward with another policy, known as “Parole with Conditions,” but Wetherell in May issued a preliminary injunction to block it.
Biden administration attorneys have argued, in part, the state does not have legal standing to challenge the policies.
Android Users, Click To Download The Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook and Twitter. Sign up for our free newsletter.
We can’t do this without your help; visit our GiveSendGo page and donate any dollar amount; every penny helps