Immigration Stops Restricted: LA Language & Job Rules Remain
Appeals Court Upholds Ruling Against Immigration Raids Based on Racial Profiling
Table of Contents
Los Angeles, CA – A federal appeals court has delivered a significant victory to civil rights advocates, upholding a lower court’s decision that barred immigration agents from targeting individuals based on race, ethnicity, language, location, or type of work. The ruling effectively blocks immigration enforcement tactics that rely on what critics decry as racial profiling.
Court Rejects Government’s Attempt to Stay Ruling
The appeals court panel denied the government’s motion to stay a temporary restraining order, wich had previously halted immigration enforcement actions in Los Angeles based on four enumerated factors: apparent race or ethnicity, speaking Spanish or speaking English with an accent, particular location, and type of work.Kyle Harvick, the deputy incident commander for the government’s immigration action in Los angeles, had stated that certain businesses, including carwashes, were targeted because “past experiences have demonstrated that illegal aliens utilize and seek work at these locations.”
Though, the appeals court found that these factors, even when considered together, “describe only a broad profile and ‘do not demonstrate reasonable suspicion for any particular stop.'” The court noted that the government did not meaningfully dispute the district court’s conclusion that sole reliance on these factors fails to meet the constitutional requirement of reasonable suspicion.
Civil Rights Groups Hail Ruling as Blow Against Profiling
Mark rosenbaum, senior special counsel for strategic litigation at Public Counsel, one of the groups representing those who sued, lauded the decision. “Today’s ruling sends a powerful message: the government cannot excuse illegal conduct by relying on racial profiling as a tool of immigration enforcement,” Rosenbaum stated. “These raids were unconstitutional, unsupported by evidence, and rooted in fear and harmful stereotypes, not public safety.”
The appeals court did, however, find a portion of the temporary order to be vague, specifically the clause regarding detaining people based on the four factors “except as permitted by law.” Despite this, the court largely denied the government’s request to lift the restraining order.
Mayor Bass Declares Victory for Rule of Law
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, a Democrat, celebrated the appeals court ruling as a triumph for the city and the rule of law. “Today is a victory for the rule of law and for the City of Los Angeles,” she said in a statement. “The Temporary Restraining Order that has been protecting our communities from immigration agents using racial profiling and other illegal tactics when conducting their cruel and aggressive enforcement raids and sweeps will remain in place for now.”
The immigration raids, which began in Los Angeles in June, sparked widespread protests, some of which turned violent. The deployment of National Guard troops and Marines by the Trump administration during these operations drew condemnation from Mayor Bass,California Governor Gavin Newsom,and other officials.
The Department of Homeland Security had not immediately responded to a request for comment regarding the appeals court’s decision.