A federal judge ruled on Friday that immigration officers in Southern California cannot use a person’s race or the fact they speak Spanish as the sole criteria for stopping and detaining individuals. Magistrate Judge Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong issued a temporary restraining order in response to a lawsuit from three men who were arrested at a Pasadena bus stop while waiting for a job on June 18.
Frimpong’s order mandates that immigration officials must have reasonable suspicion that an individual is in violation of U.S. immigration law to warrant a stop. The ruling specifies that such suspicion cannot be based solely on race or ethnicity, language spoken, location, or type of work.
The lawsuit targets the Department of Homeland Security and the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, amidst an intensified focus on immigration arrests under the leadership of the Trump administration, particularly in Los Angeles and surrounding areas.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Southern California hailed the ruling as a significant win for constitutional rights. Senior staff attorney Mohammad Tajsar emphasized the importance of protecting individuals from unlawful stops, regardless of their background. He expressed hope that this ruling would lead to increased accountability for federal actions that have violated citizens’ rights in the region.
Prominent political figures, including California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, have also criticized federal immigration enforcement in Southern California, suggesting that it is driven by a political agenda aimed at instilling fear in communities.
The ruling brings a glimmer of hope for immigrant rights advocates as it reinforces legal protections against racial profiling in immigration enforcement.