A federal judge in Los Angeles has issued a sweeping order blocking the Trump administration from continuing indiscriminate immigration raids across Southern California, ruling that agents have been making arrests without legal justification and targeting individuals based on race and ethnicity.
U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong found that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Border Patrol, and other federal agencies have violated the Fourth Amendment by detaining people without “reasonable suspicion” they are in the U.S. unlawfully. She cited “a mountain of evidence” indicating that individuals were being stopped simply for having brown skin, speaking accented English, or performing jobs often associated with immigrants.
“The seizures at issue occurred unlawfully,” Frimpong wrote in her order.
Her decision comes in response to a class-action lawsuit filed last week by the ACLU of Southern California, Public Counsel, and other advocacy groups. The case centers on a sharp escalation of immigration enforcement in Los Angeles and surrounding counties that began on June 6 under President Trump’s directive.
Restraining Orders Issued
Judge Frimpong issued two temporary restraining orders:
- Barring federal agents from detaining individuals without reasonable suspicion that they are in the country illegally.
- Requiring immediate access to legal counsel for anyone arrested in the operation.
The orders apply to Los Angeles and six neighboring counties within the Central District of California and are set to remain in effect as the case proceeds.
Thousands Detained in Sweeps
Since early June, agents have raided car washes, construction sites, day laborer gathering spots, and even sidewalks and bus stops—detaining thousands, including U.S. citizens. Civil rights attorneys say the campaign has instilled widespread fear in immigrant and Latino communities and violated basic legal protections.
Pedro Vasquez Perdomo, the lead plaintiff, described being arrested at a bus stop while heading to work. Armed, masked agents jumped out of unmarked cars and detained him without asking for ID or presenting a warrant. He was held for three weeks before being released—and now faces deportation.
“I think that I was arrested that day at the bus stop because of how I look,” Vasquez Perdomo said in a sworn statement. “We all looked Hispanic and were wearing construction work clothes.”
Other plaintiffs, including U.S. citizens, shared similar accounts of being detained or handcuffed by federal agents without explanation.
Government Defends Tactics, Judge Skeptical
In court Thursday, Justice Department attorney Sean Skedzielewski denied that agents were making arrests based on race. He claimed they act on the “totality of circumstances,” including prior surveillance and observed behavior, rather than mere appearance.
But Judge Frimpong was unconvinced.
“What they are considering should be things that give them reasonable suspicion that this person does not have status, and I’m not seeing that,” she said.
She criticized the government for failing to explain the specific rationale behind the arrests of Vasquez Perdomo and others.
DHS Pushes Back
DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin condemned the ruling, stating,
“A district judge is undermining the will of the American people. Our agents are removing the worst of the worst—murderers, gang members, and rapists—from California communities.”
But civil rights attorneys hailed the decision.
“This is an extraordinary victory,” said Mark Rosenbaum, senior counsel with Public Counsel. “It’s a complete repudiation of racial profiling and denial of legal rights. The rule of law is back in Los Angeles.”
Political and Legal Ramifications
The ruling is a major blow to President Trump’s immigration crackdown, which has zeroed in on large, Democrat-led cities. In recent weeks, National Guard troops have been deployed to Los Angeles, and the administration has sued the city over its sanctuary policies.
At a recent press conference, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the raids but was interrupted by Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA), who attempted to question her before being removed by security.
Advocates say they’ll closely monitor compliance with the court’s order and won’t hesitate to return to court if they believe immigration agents are continuing to violate the Constitution.
ACLU’s Warning
“They’re engaging in roving patrols in which they stop people first and ask questions later,” said Mohammad Tajsar, an ACLU attorney. “The evidence is clear—they’re using race as a proxy for immigration status. That’s illegal.”
Whether federal agents will scale back operations remains uncertain. But with Friday’s ruling, the administration’s aggressive enforcement campaign in Southern California faces its toughest legal test yet.
