Florida is attempting to settle a long-running legal battle with the federal government over immigration policies during the Biden administration, a court document filed Monday shows.
The document, a joint motion filed by state and federal attorneys, asked the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to put two related cases on hold while the federal government considers a state settlement proposal. The motion cited changes in immigration policies by the Trump administration while the cases, which have been consolidated at the appeals court, have remained pending.
"President Trump has since taken office and directed the Department of Homeland Security to reexamine certain immigration policies from the previous administration," the motion said. "In light of that development, Florida has submitted a settlement proposal to (the federal government) that would resolve these cases. (Federal officials) are reviewing that proposal."
The motion, filed by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier's office and the U.S. Department of Justice, did not provide details of the settlement proposal.
The request to put the dispute on hold came after the Atlanta-based appeals court on June 4 directed attorneys for the state and the federal government to file briefs about whether the case is moot. That direction came because of immigration changes made by the Trump administration.
Then-Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody filed a lawsuit in September 2001 as she and Gov. Ron DeSantis made a high-profile issue of criticizing the Biden administration's handling of immigration issues. The lawsuit involved "parole" policies, which related to undocumented immigrants being released from detention after crossing the country's southwest border.
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Siding with the state, U.S. District Judge T. Kent Wetherell issued two rulings in 2023 that said policies, known as "Parole Plus Alternatives to Detention" and "Parole with Conditions," violated federal law. But the Biden administration appealed to the Atlanta-based appeals court.
In the June 4 order directing the state and federal government to file briefs, the appeals court cited an executive order that Trump issued after taking office Jan. 20. The executive order said the U.S. Department of Homeland Security should "terminate all categorical parole programs that are contrary to the policies of the United States."
"Given the change in presidential administration and immigration policies, we must determine whether this case has become moot. … A case becomes moot when events after its commencement 'create a situation in which the court can no longer give the plaintiff meaningful relief,"" the appeals court said, partially quoting a legal precedent.
The state has argued that the Biden administration violated laws through "catch-and-release" policies. The state contended that undocumented immigrants moved to Florida and created costs for such things as the education, health-care and prison systems.
While Wetherell ruled for the state, the federal appeals court questioned whether Florida had legal standing to challenge the immigration policies. That came after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Texas and Louisiana did not have standing to challenge certain immigration policies.
DeSantis in January appointed Moody to the U.S. Senate to replace Marco Rubio, who became U.S. secretary of state.
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