Lower court order reversed
The U.S. Supreme Court has cleared the Trump administration to resume immigration raids in Southern California, approving tactics that involve targeting individuals based on appearance, ethnicity, or language. The decision suspends a July 11 ruling by Los Angeles District Judge Maame Frimpong, who had temporarily blocked the practice after finding it likely violated constitutional protections against unlawful searches and seizures.
Claims of profiling and intimidation
The underlying lawsuit accused federal agents of conducting armed patrols that singled out people with darker skin or Spanish accents, detaining them in ways that resembled abductions. One complainant, Jason Gavidia, said officers refused to believe he was a citizen, physically mistreated him, and demanded details about his birthplace. Judge Frimpong’s injunction specifically prohibited stops or arrests based solely on race, language, place of work, or presence at certain businesses, emphasizing that none of those elements alone amounted to “reasonable suspicion.”
Divided response at the Supreme Court
When the San Francisco-based 9th Circuit declined on August 1 to lift Frimpong’s restrictions, the Justice Department appealed. Federal lawyers argued that immigration officers needed broad discretion in a region where about one in ten residents is undocumented. The Supreme Court’s conservative majority accepted that position, while the three liberal justices voiced dissent. The outcome adds to a growing list of immigration policies where the Trump administration has prevailed at the nation’s highest court.
