A federal judge in California has issued a temporary restraining order against the Trump administration, prohibiting them from detaining individuals suspected of being in the United States unlawfully without significant cause. This order also instructs immigration officials not to withhold access to legal representation for these individuals.
The ruling comes as a result of a lawsuit filed by three immigrants who were arrested at a Pasadena bus stop while seeking employment and two U.S. citizens who were also detained, one of whom is said to have presented identification.
In response to the judge’s decision, the Department of Homeland Security accused her of undermining the American people’s will through a social media post.
U.S. District Judge Maame Frimpong’s emergency orders are intended to be temporary measures pending the ongoing lawsuit. She mentioned ample evidence that officials have been conducting “roving patrols,” defined as the random apprehension of individuals without reasonable suspicion, which she asserted would infringe upon the U.S. Constitution.
Judge Frimpong ruled that immigration arrests cannot be based on factors like “race or ethnicity,” “speaking Spanish or speaking English with an accent,” or “being in a particular location” such as a bus stop or car wash.
Judge Frimpong’s decision coincides with the Trump administration’s increased efforts to combat unauthorized immigration, particularly in California, a state with a strong Democratic presence and a recipient of President Donald Trump’s ire. In Los Angeles, specifically, immigration enforcement actions catalyzed substantial protests.
On Thursday, an immigration raid at a marijuana farm in California prompted violent demonstrations and arrested over 200 people, including 10 minors, leading to injuries among some farm workers according to the United Farm Workers.
Human rights advocates have accused the government of unlawful and discriminatory practices, arguing that all individuals have constitutional rights regardless of race, language, or workplace.
The ACLU Foundation of Southern California’s senior staff attorney, Mohammad Tajsar, stated, “Regardless of their skin color, the language they speak, or where they are employed, everyone is assured constitutional rights to protect them against unlawful detentions.”
Conversely, the government prioritizes targeting violent criminals, with ICE striving to meet a daily quota of 3,000 arrests, which is part of Trump’s plan to activate the “larger deportation” campaign in U.S. history.
The Department of Homeland Security responded on X to the judge’s ruling by stating, “America’s brave men and women are pursuing and removing murderers, MS-13 gang members, pedophiles, rapists—undoubtedly the worst offenders from California’s communities.”
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4ge469g7p5o
