Los Angeles, CA – July 12, 2025 – A federal judge in Los Angeles has issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the Trump administration’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, citing widespread evidence of unconstitutional racial profiling in Southern California.
The ruling, delivered by U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, mandates that ICE cease detaining individuals without reasonable suspicion and ensure detainees have immediate access to legal counsel, addressing allegations of systemic violations of the Fourth and Fifth Amendments.
The decision follows a class-action lawsuit filed on July 2, 2025, by immigrant advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Southern California and Public Counsel.
The plaintiffs alleged that ICE and Border Patrol agents have been indiscriminately targeting Latino communities, detaining individuals based solely on their race, accent, or occupation, such as day laborers or farmworkers.
The lawsuit highlighted incidents where U.S. citizens, including a veteran of Angolan and Portuguese descent, were detained without cause, sparking public outrage.
Judge Frimpong, appointed by President Joe Biden, described the evidence of racial profiling as a “mountain” in her 53-page ruling, stating that ICE’s “roving patrols” violated constitutional protections against unreasonable seizures and denial of due process.
The TRO, effective for 14 days pending further hearings, applies to Los Angeles and six surrounding counties: Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo.
It prohibits agents from relying on factors such as race, ethnicity, language, or workplace when making arrests and requires detailed record-keeping of all stops.
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Reactions and Sentiment
The Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, intensified since early June 2025, aimed to achieve 3,000 daily arrests nationwide, a goal set by White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.
The deployment of 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines to Los Angeles in response to protests against ICE raids further escalated tensions, drawing objections from California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Governor Newsom praised the ruling on X, stating, “Justice prevailed today.
California stands with the law and the Constitution — and I call on the Trump administration to do the same.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass echoed this sentiment, calling the decision a vital step toward “restoring safety, security, and defending the rights of all Angelenos.”
However, the Trump administration and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have pushed back.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called allegations of racial profiling “disgusting and categorically FALSE,” asserting that ICE operations target “murderers, MS-13 gang members, pedophiles, and rapists.”
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson argued that “no federal judge has the authority to dictate immigration policy,” signaling plans to appeal the ruling.
Immigrant rights advocates celebrated the decision as a landmark victory.
Mohammad Tajsar, a senior attorney with the ACLU of Southern California, stated, “No matter the color of their skin, what language they speak, or where they work, everyone is guaranteed constitutional rights to protect them from unlawful stops.”
Mark Rosenbaum of Public Counsel called the ruling “the most important decision in the history of the country about limitations on what immigration authorities can do.”
The lawsuit detailed specific instances of alleged abuses, including ICE agents targeting Latino workers at car washes, Home Depot parking lots, and bus stops.
Videos posted on social media showed masked agents detaining individuals without apparent justification, sometimes mistaking U.S. citizens for undocumented immigrants.
One plaintiff, Pedro Vasquez Perdomo, described being detained at a bus stop on June 18, 2025, alongside coworkers, by armed agents in unmarked vehicles.
The ruling comes amid broader tensions between California’s sanctuary state policies and federal immigration enforcement.
California’s Values Act of 2017 limits local cooperation with ICE, and new legislative proposals, such as SB 580 and AB 421, aim to further restrict state support for federal immigration actions.
These efforts reflect California’s resistance to what advocates call an “arrest-first, ask-questions-later” approach by ICE.
While the TRO is temporary, it could set a national precedent if extended or upheld.
The White House’s intent to challenge the ruling suggests a prolonged legal battle, with significant implications for immigration enforcement and civil rights across the United States.
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