The US Supreme Court has ruled that sweeping immigration raids in Los Angeles can continue, lifting a federal judge's order that had barred agents from making stops without reasonable suspicion. This ruling marks a significant win for President Donald Trump, who has been pushing for record-level deportations of undocumented migrants.
The 6-3 decision from the conservative-majority court enables agents to stop individuals based on factors such as race, language, or employment without needing further justification, pending the outcome of ongoing legal challenges regarding the immigration sweeps in LA.
The liberal justices expressed their dissent, arguing that this ruling jeopardizes constitutional freedoms. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who authored the majority opinion, clarified that while ethnicity alone cannot constitute reasonable suspicion, it may be considered a relevant factor alongside other indicators.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor's dissent underscored the potential consequences, stating that many individuals in Los Angeles face undue aggression from law enforcement based primarily on their appearance and accents, especially those engaged in manual labor.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass condemned the ruling, calling it dangerous and un-American, emphasizing that it threatens the fundamental freedoms of individuals in the United States.
The ruling lifts a previous order from US District Judge Maame E. Frimpong, who highlighted substantial evidence that the raids violated the Constitution by relying on attributes such as race and presence in specific locations as grounds for detention or questioning. She previously highlighted the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.
Following the commencement of these raids in June, protests erupted across Los Angeles, with fierce public opposition to the tactics employed by ICE agents. The decision by the Supreme Court comes amid an intensifying series of similar law enforcement practices in various U.S. cities, indicating a broader trend towards rigorous immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.
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