A federal appeals court has upheld a ruling that temporarily prohibits US government agents from making immigration-related arrests in Los Angeles without probable cause. This decision, issued by the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, rejects a request from the Trump administration to pause the lower court’s order, which aims to protect residents from unlawful policing practices.
The three-judge panel determined that the plaintiffs are likely to demonstrate that federal agents have conducted arrests based on individuals’ appearance, language, and their locations, such as workplaces. This ruling comes in the wake of heightened tensions regarding immigration enforcement, particularly in light of the Trump administration’s aggressive tactics.
In June 2023, President Donald Trump mobilized National Guard troops and US Marines to Los Angeles, a controversial move intended to bolster civilian law enforcement during protests against immigration raids. The city of Los Angeles, alongside several Southern California municipalities, joined a lawsuit initiated by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). They accused federal agents of employing unlawful tactics, including racial profiling, to fulfill immigration arrest quotas.
In July, a California judge had already blocked the Trump administration from racially profiling immigrants in the pursuit of deportation targets. The ruling also affirmed immigrants’ rights to legal representation during detention.
In the unsigned decision released on Friday, the appeals judges largely supported the lower court’s stance, which prohibits federal officials from detaining individuals solely based on “apparent race or ethnicity,” the use of Spanish or accented English, or their presence in certain locations, such as “bus stops, car washes, tow yards, and day laborer pick-up sites.”
The Department of Homeland Security and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not respond to requests for comment outside of regular business hours.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass hailed the court’s order as a victory for the city. In a statement, she emphasized that the Temporary Restraining Order remains in effect, protecting communities from immigration agents’ use of racial profiling and other illegal enforcement tactics.
Mohammad Tajsar, senior staff lawyer at the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, expressed approval of the ruling. He stated, “This decision is further confirmation that the administration’s paramilitary invasion of Los Angeles violated the Constitution and caused irreparable injury across the region.”
As the legal battles continue, the implications of these judicial decisions could shape the future of immigration enforcement in Los Angeles and beyond, highlighting the ongoing debate over civil rights and federal authority.
