Federal judge blocks Trump immigration sweeps in Southern California

Key Ruling: U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, a Biden appointee, issued a temporary restraining order blocking federal agents from conducting indiscriminate immigration arrests in Southern California. The judge found the sweeps likely violated the 4th Amendment by relying on racial profiling and location-based targeting.

Scope of the Order: The ruling covers Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties. It prohibits agents from using factors like race, language, or workplace (e.g., Home Depot parking lots, car washes) to establish "reasonable suspicion" for detentions.

Political Reactions:

• Support: California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass praised the decision, calling it a victory for constitutional rights. Newsom stated, "California stands with the law and the Constitution."
• Opposition: The White House vowed to appeal, with spokeswoman Abigail Jackson calling the ruling a "gross overstep of judicial authority." Trump advisor Tom Homan argued agents were following legal standards.

Legal Arguments:

• Plaintiffs: The ACLU, Public Counsel, and other groups filed the lawsuit, alleging agents detained individuals without proper justification and held them in deplorable conditions. One plaintiff, Brian Gavidia, a U.S. citizen, was detained solely for being Latino at a tow yard.
• Government: Justice Department attorney Sean Skedzielewski defended the raids as "sophisticated operations" but failed to provide specific evidence refuting claims of racial profiling.

Recent Raids:

• Over 2,800 undocumented individuals have been arrested since June 6, with 69% having no criminal record.
• A recent raid in Ventura County led to 200 arrests and a violent protest, including a man falling 30 feet from a greenhouse roof.

Next Steps:

• The coalition seeks a preliminary injunction to make the halt permanent.
• Los Angeles and other municipalities aim to join the lawsuit, arguing the raids are politically motivated to target Democrat strongholds.

Quotes:

• Judge Frimpong: "What the federal government would have this Court believe... is that none of this is actually happening."
• Mark Rosenbaum (Public Counsel): "It’s brought the rule of law back to Los Angeles."