WASHINGTON The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday lifted restrictions on federal immigration agents in Los Angeles, granting the Trump administration another victory at the nation’s highest court and allowing sweeping enforcement operations to continue — at least for now.
In a 6-3 ruling, the conservative majority struck down a lower-court order that had prohibited Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from stopping individuals solely on the basis of race, language, occupation, or location. The ruling paves the way for agents to resume roving patrols across the Los Angeles area, which immigrant advocates argue have led to widespread abuses.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh, writing in concurrence, said the district court had “overstepped” in restricting ICE, warning that such judicial oversight would “chill lawful immigration enforcement efforts.” The majority issued no detailed explanation, consistent with the court’s handling of emergency appeals.
Dissent Raises Alarm on Civil Liberties
Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by the court’s two liberal justices, issued a blistering dissent, accusing the majority of undermining fundamental freedoms. “Countless people in Los Angeles have been grabbed, thrown to the ground, and handcuffed simply because of their appearance, their accents, and their work,” she wrote. “Today, the Court exposes countless more to those very same indignities.”
While Kavanaugh acknowledged that stops involving excessive force may still face legal challenge, the decision represents a significant shift in favor of aggressive federal enforcement tactics.
Enforcement Surges in LA
The Department of Homeland Security announced that 5,210 arrests have been made in the Los Angeles region since June 6 and vowed to continue operations. Officials praised Gregory Bovino, the agency’s lead commander in the city, crediting him with “getting the worst of the worst out of Los Angeles.”
Recent raids have drawn national attention, including one incident in which ICE agents leapt from the back of a rented box truck to arrest workers outside a Home Depot store. Advocacy groups say such tactics amount to mass targeting of Latino residents, including U.S. citizens.
Citizens Among Those Caught in Sweeps
The lawsuit that triggered the original restrictions was brought by advocacy groups and several individuals, including two American citizens detained during raids. One plaintiff, Los Angeles resident Brian Gavidia, was seen in a viral video pinned against a fence by federal agents as he shouted: “I was born here in the States. East LA, bro!” He was released after producing identification.
Another plaintiff, Pedro Vasquez Perdomo, said agents never provided a warrant or explanation for his detention. “I was treated like I didn’t matter — locked up, cold, hungry, and without a lawyer. Now the Supreme Court says that’s okay? That’s not justice. That’s racism with a badge,” he said.
California Leaders Condemn Ruling
California officials sharply criticized the court’s decision. Governor Gavin Newsom warned that it would allow agents broad discretion “to deliberately harm California’s families and small businesses,” including U.S. citizens. Attorney General Rob Bonta called out the court’s inconsistency: “They bar race from being considered in college admissions, but allow it to be used in immigration stops.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass pledged to keep city resources from supporting federal immigration enforcement. “This is not just an attack on Los Angeles. This is an attack on every city and every person in this country,” she said.
The legal battle, however, is far from over. The underlying lawsuit — which alleges that ICE systematically targeted Latino residents in violation of constitutional protections — will continue in federal court in California, with a hearing set for September 24.
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