High court reverses lower court ruling
The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the Trump administration, allowing federal immigration authorities to resume enforcement raids in Southern California that had been temporarily halted. This ruling overturns a July 11 injunction from U.S. District Judge Maame Frimpong, who had determined that the operations likely violated the Fourth Amendment’s protections against unreasonable searches and seizures.
Lawsuit alleges racial and linguistic targeting
The legal challenge accused federal agents of conducting stops and detentions based on race, ethnicity, or the way people spoke. Plaintiffs described the raids as abrupt and forceful, with some comparing the operations to kidnappings. Jason Gavidia, one of the plaintiffs, said he was physically confronted after asserting his U.S. citizenship and being asked to name the hospital where he was born. Judge Frimpong’s injunction had barred officials from relying solely on skin color, language, type of work, or presence at certain businesses such as car washes and tow yards to justify detentions, noting that these factors alone do not constitute “reasonable suspicion.”
Supreme Court divided on ruling
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals had previously rejected the administration’s request to lift Frimpong’s order on August 1, prompting an appeal to the Supreme Court. Justice Department lawyers argued that officers needed broad discretion in areas where roughly 10 percent of residents are undocumented. The court’s conservative majority sided with the administration, while the three liberal justices dissented. The decision represents another instance of the high court allowing Trump-era immigration policies to continue despite challenges in lower courts.
