Judge Rejects Florida’s Illegal Immigration Suit

A judge Tuesday threw out Gov. Lawton Chiles’ lawsuit seeking $1.5 billion from the federal government to cover Florida’s costs of coping with illegal immigration.

U.S. District Judge Edward B. Davis said he doesn’t have the authority to order the government to compensate Florida and said the dispute is political in nature--not legal.

It was the first in a series of lawsuits filed by five states that accuse the federal government of not enforcing U.S. immigration laws.

In a statement, Chiles vowed to appeal the ruling, which he called a “temporary setback in our efforts to bring immigration justice to Florida’s communities.”

“While we are disappointed by the court’s action, we are still committed to pressing Florida’s case and will explore every avenue open to us to make sure the federal government does right by Florida,” Chiles said.

The state filed the lawsuit in April, accusing the federal government of failing to protect its borders, thereby encouraging a continued influx of illegal immigrants into Florida.

At the time the suit was filed, Chiles estimated there were 350,000 illegal immigrants living in Florida, a state of some 13 million residents.

The suit said Florida spends more than $1 billion a year on services such as education, medical care and law enforcement and prisons for illegal immigrants.

It said Florida is a victim of “an ongoing immigration emergency that endangers the lives, property, safety and economic welfare of the residents of the state.”

Chiles said his state has been picking up the tab for immigration for more than a decade.

Tom Herndon, the governor’s chief of staff, said the governor and state Atty. Gen. Bob Butterworth intended to appeal the dismissal.

Arizona, California, Texas and New Jersey are also suing. In a hearing last week in Texas, a federal judge said he is likely to dismiss the lawsuit there also, though he gave the state time to file more arguments.