The U.S. Supreme Court sided with President Donald Trump’s immigration policy on Monday, allowing federal agents to continue aggressive raids in Southern California. The decision permits agents to detain individuals based on factors such as race, ethnicity, or language, a move that sparked sharp dissent from the court’s liberal justices.
The ruling paused an order from U.S. District Judge Maame Frimpong, who had blocked immigration stops made without “reasonable suspicion.” Her ruling found that targeting people for speaking Spanish or English with an accent, or for their appearance, likely violated Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures.
The Supreme Court’s brief order, issued without explanation, gave the Justice Department the green light to resume what officials call “roving patrols.” Attorney General Pam Bondi hailed the decision as a “massive victory” for immigration enforcement.
Sharp Criticism From Dissenting Justices
Justice Sonia Sotomayor, writing for the dissent, warned the ruling effectively makes Latinos “fair game to be seized at any time.” She said it sets a dangerous precedent by allowing citizens and noncitizens alike to be detained simply for their appearance, language, or work.
The ruling deepened fears in immigrant communities. A lawsuit filed in Los Angeles described raids where heavily armed agents wearing masks detained people based on racial profiling, comparing the tactics to “brazen kidnappings.” Plaintiffs include Latino residents, some of them U.S. citizens, who said they were wrongly targeted.
One plaintiff, Pedro Vasquez Perdomo, said he was detained without a warrant and left without food, warmth, or access to a lawyer. “That’s not justice,” he said. “That’s racism with a badge.”
Political and Legal Fallout
Civil rights groups condemned the decision. ACLU attorney Mohammad Tajsar called it a “racist deportation scheme,” promising to keep fighting the administration’s policies.
Concurring with the ruling, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said ethnicity alone cannot justify suspicion, but argued it may be considered alongside other factors.
This marks another in a series of Supreme Court decisions backing Trump’s hardline immigration stance. The court has also approved policies allowing the deportation of migrants to third countries and the rollback of temporary protections for hundreds of thousands of immigrants.
Immigration Raids and Protests
Trump, who secured reelection on promises of record deportations, has expanded raids across cities including Los Angeles. These actions have fueled protests, lawsuits, and widespread panic in immigrant communities.
In June, Trump even deployed National Guard troops and U.S. Marines to Los Angeles in response to demonstrations against the raids—an extraordinary use of military force to support civilian operations. California officials, including Governor Gavin Newsom, denounced the move as unlawful.
With the Supreme Court’s latest ruling, the administration is set to continue its aggressive enforcement tactics while legal battles over constitutional rights and immigration policy intensify.
