In a 6–3 ruling, the Court lifted a lower court order that had blocked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from stopping individuals based solely on race, language, workplace, or neighborhood presence.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that restricting ICE in this way “improperly tied the hands of law enforcement,” while Justice Sonia Sotomayor warned in dissent that the ruling “greenlights racial profiling at a systemic level.”
Immigrant rights groups immediately criticized the decision, saying it will spread fear across Latino and immigrant-heavy neighborhoods in Los Angeles.
🔑 What’s Changing?
- ICE agents can now resume “roving patrols” in Los Angeles, including sweeps in areas such as day labor sites, car washes, and neighborhoods with high immigrant populations.
- The ruling does not set limits on when or how agents can question individuals, raising concerns about racial and language-based targeting.
- Federal officials argue this will “strengthen border security from within” and allow ICE to remove undocumented individuals more quickly.
🧾 What Are the Options Now?
- Community preparedness: Immigrant advocacy groups are urging residents to know their rights, including the right to remain silent and the right to demand a warrant before allowing entry into a home.
- Legal pushback: Civil rights organizations are preparing new lawsuits, arguing that the practice violates the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments.
- Local response: Los Angeles city officials are reviewing how to limit local cooperation with ICE, but their authority is now weakened under this Supreme Court ruling.
⚠️ Important Reminders
- Being stopped does NOT require you to answer questions about immigration status—you have the right to remain silent.
- Do not open the door unless ICE presents a signed warrant from a judge (not just an ICE administrative form).
- Carrying Know Your Rights cards can help during unexpected encounters.
- This decision currently applies to Los Angeles, but it may set precedent for other U.S. cities.
📲 Learn More
Full coverage here:
- Reuters: Supreme Court backs Trump on aggressive immigration raids
- AP News: Supreme Court allows Trump’s LA immigration raids
September 8, 2025 | @DailyImmigrant
