SCOTUS Drops Restrictions on LA Immigration Raids

The Supreme Court has removed restrictions on immigration raids in the Los Angeles region, overturning a lower court's limits that were set after evidence surfaced of agents allegedly targeting individuals based on race and other characteristics. The high court's majority provided no explanation, which is typical for emergency docket rulings. The decision aligns with the Trump administration's argument that the restraints hindered efforts to address illegal immigration and that its enforcement actions did not violate the law, the Washington Post reports. The decision allows ICE to resume "roving patrols" in the area, for now, reports CNN.

• In a concurring opinion, Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that while ethnicity alone cannot justify a stop, it may be considered as a "relevant factor" alongside other factors when agents decide whom to question about immigration status. He described illegal immigration as a significant issue in Los Angeles and argued that context—such as location and employment—can reasonably contribute to an agent's suspicion.
• The court's three liberal justices dissented forcefully, with Justice Sonia Sotomayor calling the majority's stance a threat to constitutional protections. "We should not have to live in a country where the Government can seize anyone who looks Latino, speaks Spanish, and appears to work a low wage job," Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote. "Rather than stand idly by while our constitutional freedoms are lost, I dissent."

A lawsuit filed by three people detained in the raids was later certified as a class action. "Numerous US citizens and others who are lawfully present in this country have been subjected to significant intrusions on their liberty," the plaintiffs said in a Supreme Court filing. "Many have been physically injured; at least two were taken to a holding facility." In a July ruling that an appeals court left in place, US District Judge Maame E. Frimpong said there was a "mountain of evidence" that the Constitution was being violated, the AP reports. Frimpong's restraining order banned federal agents from using factors including apparent race or ethnicity, accent, or presence at a location like a car wash from being the only cause for detention.