In a decisive ruling, a federal appeals court has upheld a lower court’s temporary order blocking the Trump administration from conducting indiscriminate immigration stops and arrests across Southern California.
This marks a significant victory for immigrant rights advocates and reinforcing constitutional protections against racial profiling.
A three-judge panel of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a hearing held Monday, rejected the federal government’s request to overturn a temporary restraining order issued on July 12 by U.S. District Judge Maame E. Frimpong.
The order prohibits federal agents from using tactics deemed unconstitutional, including detaining individuals based solely on race, ethnicity, language, occupation, or presence in specific locations like car washes, Home Depots, or bus stops.
The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed last month by immigrant advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), accusing the Trump administration of systematically targeting “brown-skinned” individuals in Southern California during its aggressive immigration crackdown.
The plaintiffs, comprising three detained immigrants and two U.S. citizens, presented compelling evidence of constitutional violations, including the detention of Los Angeles resident Brian Gavidia, a U.S. citizen who was seized by federal agents on June 13 despite asserting his citizenship.
In her July 12 order, Judge Frimpong cited a “mountain of evidence” that federal immigration enforcement tactics violated the Fourth Amendment’s protections against unreasonable searches and seizures and the Fifth Amendment’s guarantee of due process.
She explicitly barred the government from using factors such as apparent race or ethnicity, speaking Spanish or English with an accent, or working in certain occupations as the sole basis for “reasonable suspicion” to detain individuals.
Appeals Court Hearing and Ruling
During Monday’s hearing, the federal government, represented by attorney Jacob Roth, argued that the temporary restraining order hindered immigration enforcement and was overly broad.
Roth contended that the government had insufficient time to gather evidence due to the lawsuit’s timing around the July 4 holiday and claimed that factors like race, language, location, and occupation should remain permissible for establishing reasonable suspicion.
The Ninth Circuit panel, consisting of judges appointed by Presidents Clinton and Biden, sharply rebuked these arguments.
Judge Jennifer Sung, a Biden appointee, emphasized that while such factors could be considered, they alone do not meet the legal threshold for reasonable suspicion, particularly in a diverse region like Los Angeles, where Latinos constitute nearly half the population.
“Those factors cannot possibly weed out those who have undocumented status and those who have documented legal status,” Sung stated, questioning the harm of prohibiting actions the government claimed it was not undertaking.
The court’s ruling upholds the temporary order, ensuring that federal agents, including those from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol, cannot conduct stops or arrests without reasonable suspicion based on specific, non-discriminatory criteria.
The decision applies to seven counties in the Central District of California: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.
Community Impact and Reactions
The Los Angeles region has been a flashpoint for tensions over the Trump administration’s immigration policies, which have included deploying National Guard troops and Marines to quell protests sparked by the raids.
Federal agents have targeted immigrants, many of whom have lived in the U.S. for decades, at workplaces and public spaces, leading to widespread fear and economic disruption in immigrant communities.
Among the plaintiffs, Brian Gavidia’s case has drawn significant attention.
A video captured him shouting, “I was born here in the states, East LA bro!” as federal agents detained him at a tow yard in a predominantly Latino neighborhood.
ACLU attorney Mohammad Tajsar argued before the court that such actions threaten to “send us back to a world where a U.S. citizen can be grabbed, slammed against a fence, and have his phone and ID taken from him just because he was working in a Latino neighborhood.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass hailed the ruling as a “victory for the rule of law,” pledging to protect residents from “racial profiling and other illegal tactics” employed by federal agents.
Immigrant rights groups, including the ACLU, celebrated the decision as a critical check on the administration’s overreach, with attorney Mark Rosenbaum stating, “The government cannot excuse illegal conduct by relying on racial profiling as a tool of immigration enforcement.”
Broader Implications
The Ninth Circuit’s decision comes amid a broader legal pushback against the Trump administration’s immigration policies, which include executive orders declaring a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, restricting asylum access, and attempting to end birthright citizenship.
Another federal judge recently blocked the administration from rapidly deporting immigrants granted parole at ports of entry, further complicating its enforcement efforts.
The White House, through spokesperson Abigail Jackson, vowed to challenge the ruling, asserting that “no federal judge has the authority to dictate immigration policy.”
However, the appeals court’s affirmation of Judge Frimpong’s order underscores the judiciary’s role in safeguarding constitutional protections, particularly in diverse regions like Southern California.
As the legal battle continues, the ruling provides temporary relief to communities that have faced weeks of fear and uncertainty.
Immigrant advocacy groups are expected to push for a permanent injunction, while the Trump administration may seek further appeals, potentially escalating the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Also Read: MTG Now Pushes for Citizen-Only Census and Strict Voter Requirements
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