Supreme Court Allows Renewed Immigration Stops in Los Angeles/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Supreme Court has lifted a federal judge’s restriction on immigration stops in Los Angeles. The 6-3 decision supports the Trump administration’s position, allowing agents broader discretion during immigration raids. Critics say the policy leads to racial profiling and unlawful detentions of U.S. citizens.
Immigration Raids Quick Looks
- Supreme Court ruling: Justices vote 6–3 to lift restraining order on immigration stops.
- Legal challenge: Order had restricted ICE from stops based on race, language, or occupation.
- Backstory: Some U.S. citizens were wrongfully detained in immigration sweeps.
- Plaintiffs: Included two U.S. citizens and three immigrants.
- Trump administration win: Continues hardline immigration policies with federal support.
- Judicial background: Original order issued by Judge Frimpong in Los Angeles.
- Scope of impact: Nearly 20 million residents affected, nearly half Latino.
- Recent raid example: Arrests made at LA Home Depot using box truck operation.
- Next steps: The lawsuit will proceed in lower courts.
Deep Look: Supreme Court Lifts Ban on Immigration Stops in Los Angeles
WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2025 — In a landmark 6-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday removed restrictions placed on federal immigration agents conducting operations in Los Angeles. The ruling lifts a judicial order that had barred agents from stopping individuals solely based on their race, language, occupation, or location—a major win for the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement strategy.
The case stemmed from a legal challenge in California, where U.S. District Judge Maame E. Frimpong found overwhelming evidence that immigration agents were making indiscriminate stops in ways that violated constitutional protections. Her injunction prevented Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from using factors such as skin color, speaking Spanish or accented English, or working at places like car washes or tow yards as standalone justifications for detention.
That order was temporarily upheld by an appeals court, but now with the Supreme Court’s reversal, federal agents have regained wide authority to conduct roving immigration operations in and around Los Angeles—a region with nearly 20 million residents, almost half identifying as Hispanic or Latino.
The Court’s Justification and Impact
The conservative majority on the high court sided with arguments from Trump’s legal team, who claimed that the order was too restrictive and improperly constrained federal immigration enforcement. Solicitor General D. John Sauer also argued that Judge Frimpong’s injunction couldn’t stand under recent Supreme Court precedent limiting the scope of nationwide injunctions.
Justice Samuel Alito, writing for the majority, said the federal government’s interest in enforcing immigration laws outweighs the limitations imposed by the now-overturned injunction. The dissent, led by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, argued the ruling opened the door for discriminatory practices and the repeated violation of the rights of U.S. citizens and lawful residents.
Mistaken Identity and Civil Liberties Concerns
The original case was brought by immigrant advocacy groups who cited numerous instances where American citizens were wrongfully detained. One example was Brian Gavidia, a Los Angeles resident and U.S. citizen who was recorded in a June 13 video being forcefully detained by agents while yelling:
“I was born here in the States. East LA, bro!” He was only released after showing identification nearly 20 minutes later.
Another U.S. citizen was detained while at a car wash. In total, plaintiffs included three detained immigrants and two citizens, all allegedly stopped without reasonable suspicion.
In their argument, plaintiffs claimed the original order did not prevent lawful immigration enforcement, but simply prohibited stops without constitutional justification.
“Numerous U.S. citizens and others who are lawfully present in this country have been subjected to significant intrusions on their liberty,” their attorneys argued, noting that some individuals were injured or taken to holding centers despite being lawfully present.
Political and Regional Ramifications
Los Angeles has long been a focal point for immigration debates, especially during Trump’s presidency. The region saw large protests and increased federal presence, including the deployment of the National Guard and even the Marines, following aggressive immigration crackdowns.
Although immigration raids had slowed following the July injunction, activity has ramped up once again. In one recent operation, ICE agents reportedly jumped out of the back of a rented box truck at a Home Depot parking lot in Los Angeles to make arrests—raising alarm among local officials and immigrant communities.
The Department of Homeland Security continues to insist that ICE officers do not target people based on race or ethnicity, but on their suspected illegal presence in the country. However, critics say the real-world application of these policies results in widespread profiling and civil rights violations.
What Comes Next
While the Supreme Court has lifted the restraining order, the broader lawsuit will continue in the lower courts in California. Advocates vow to press forward with legal challenges, claiming that constitutional protections must be upheld even in the context of immigration enforcement.
In the meantime, federal agents are expected to resume full-scale operations in Los Angeles, now with fewer restrictions on who they can stop and question—raising concerns of another wave of wrongful detentions and community unrest.
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