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 law, enacted this year, made it a crime for unauthorized migrants to enter the state. Challengers say immigration is a federal matter.

The law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis makes it a state crime to enter Florida after coming into the United States illegally and to re-enter the state following deportation.