It seemed inevitable that U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams would hold state Attorney General James Uthmeier in contempt of court after he violated her order to stop enforcing a new law that makes it a crime for undocumented immigrants to enter Florida.

After all, Uthmeier told state law enforcement agencies that they could arrest migrants who illegally cross into the United States and then arrive in Florida — despite her restraining order issued in mid-April.

Legal experts interviewed by the Miami Herald said Williams could fine Uthmeier up to $1,000 or send him to jail for up to six months, or both, as punishment.

“Judge Williams used great restraint in issuing her contempt order,” Miami defense attorney Brian Tannebaum, an expert in ethics law in Florida, said on Wednesday. “But if the attorney general doesn’t abide by her ruling, she could hold another contempt hearing, find him in contempt again, and fine him or send him to jail.”