State Attorney General Ashley Moody announced last week that she is suing President Joe Biden’s administration for answers about the handling of the crisis at the Southern Border—particularly how it relates to illegal immigrants being flown into Florida under the cover of night.
The litigation comes after Florida prosecutors brought murder charges against an illegal immigrant from Honduras for the death of a Jacksonville man.
“Federal immigration policies have real consequences on the lives of Floridians. We need to know how and why the Biden administration is choosing to catch and release illegal immigrants—sending many to live in Florida. I have exhausted all non-litigious avenues for obtaining answers, but since the Biden administration refuses to be transparent with the American people, I have no other recourse than to take this matter to court—to get answers that will better help us protect the safety and security of Floridians,” Moody said.
Moody filed a Complaint for Injunctive Relief and to Compel Production of Documents in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The filing names the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Immigration Services as defendants.
In early October, Moody began seeking public information about the defendants’ decisions not to enforce certain federal immigration laws—decisions that harm Floridians. According to federal law, the defendants are required to respond to such requests within 20 working days. Within the allotted time frame, the defendants may request a 10-day extension. Only CBP and USCIS invoked the extension while the other defendants did not respond.
The extended deadline to provide public information expired just before Thanksgiving. Even with the additional time, none of the defendants provided the Florida Attorney General’s Office with the requested public information, as required by law.
The Attorney General’s complaint seeks relief in the form of the production of any and all available public information regarding the defendants’ decisions not to enforce certain federal immigration laws. Moody is asking the court to set a deadline for the information to be provided.
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