The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday ruled to lift a restraining order that had restricted federal immigration enforcement in Los Angeles, marking another legal victory for the Trump administration. The 6-3 decision allowed agents to resume operations targeting individuals suspected of illegal immigration, overturning a lower court’s findings that certain tactics violated constitutional rights.
U.S. District Judge Maame E. Frimpong had previously issued a restraining order, citing “a mountain of evidence” that federal agents engaged in indiscriminate arrests based on race, language, job, or location. The Trump administration argued the restrictions hindered lawful immigration enforcement efforts. The ruling comes as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) intensifies operations in Washington state amid broader federal crackdowns.
The lawsuit, initiated by immigrant advocacy groups, alleged that enforcement actions disproportionately targeted individuals based on ethnicity during the administration’s immigration campaigns. In a dissenting opinion, Justice Sonia Sotomayor criticized the majority decision, stating it would subject “countless more” to discriminatory treatment. The Department of Homeland Security maintained that agents focus on illegal presence rather than race or ethnicity but acknowledged the lower court’s order had improperly limited enforcement criteria.
The case will now proceed in California courts, with implications for federal immigration policies nationwide.