Supreme Court Backs Trump on Aggressive ICE Raids in Los Angeles

The Supreme Court on Monday by a 6-3 vote lifted lower-court limits on “roving” ICE patrols, clearing the way for agents to resume stops in Los Angeles based in part on race, language or workplace factors.

Nut Graf By removing a temporary restraining order, the high court has granted broad latitude to immigration enforcement officers to detain individuals they suspect of being in the country unlawfully-prompting civil-rights groups to warn of unchecked racial profiling.

Key Ruling Details

• The decision reverses U.S. District Judge Maame E. Frimpong’s July order that barred ICE from stops relying solely on apparent ethnicity, Spanish or accented English, presence at known gathering spots, or day-labor work.
• The Court’s majority offered no explanation; Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s concurrence suggested future challenges could address use of force.
• Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, decrying the ruling as a “green light for racial terror.”

Reactions and Ramifications

• Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin hailed the outcome as a “victory for public safety and rule of law,” pledging uninterrupted enforcement.
• California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the move as state-sanctioned racial profiling that threatens communities and U.S. citizens alike.
• Immigrant-rights advocates warned that millions of Latino residents may now face harassment and detentions at bus stops, car washes and workplaces without individualized suspicion.

Next Steps

A preliminary‐injunction hearing is scheduled in federal district court on Sept. 24, as litigation over ICE’s practices continues. Meanwhile, local officials in Los Angeles have pledged to bar municipal resources from aiding federal enforcement.