Washington — The Supreme Court on Wednesday left in place a block on a new Florida immigration law that imposes criminal penalties on migrants who are in the U.S. illegally and enter into the state, with the justices declining to pause a lower court decision that stopped it from taking effect while legal proceedings move forward.

The Supreme Court has refused to allow Florida to enforce an immigration law making it a crime for people who are living in the U.S. illegally to enter the state.

The U.S. Supreme Court maintained on Wednesday a judicial block on a Republican-crafted Florida law that makes it a crime for immigrants in the United States illegally to enter the state. The justices denied a request by state officials to lift an order by Florida-based U.