A federal judge issued two temporary restraining orders on Friday that block the Trump administration from conducting indiscriminate immigration arrests in the Los Angeles area and from denying detainees the right to consult with a lawyer. The orders mark a significant legal setback for the federal government’s aggressive immigration raids that began last month.
Judge Maame E. Frimpong of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California ruled that the government’s “roving patrols” without reasonable suspicion violate the Fourth Amendment’s protections against unlawful searches and seizures. She also found that denying detainees access to legal counsel violates the Fifth Amendment.
The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by immigrant advocacy groups, led by the ACLU of Southern California and Public Counsel, which documented widespread racial profiling and unconstitutional stops targeting Latino communities.
The judge sharply criticized the federal government’s defense, stating the evidence showed that agents disproportionately targeted people based on race, language, and location, such as bus stops and day labor sites, often detaining even U.S. citizens.
The order requires ICE and other federal agencies operating in Los Angeles County to stop using racial profiling as a basis for arrests and to ensure detainees can access lawyers.
Local leaders, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, praised the decision as a defense of constitutional rights and American values.
The ruling will remain in effect for up to 10 days pending a fuller hearing, setting the stage for a broader challenge to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement tactics in immigrant communities.
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