The Supreme Court's decision to lift restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Los Angeles has ignited sharp criticism from lawmakers and civil rights advocates, who warn it could enable racial profiling and threaten personal freedoms.
Supreme Court Allows ICE To Consider Ethnicity In Los Angeles Immigration Stops
The court ended a federal judge's order that had barred ICE agents from using factors such as race, language, or presence at a day-labor site in deciding whom to stop and question, as reported by The New York Times.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh noted that while ethnicity alone cannot justify a stop, it can be considered in conjunction with other factors.
Mayor Bass Warns Supreme Court Ruling Threatens Personal Freedoms
Mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, reacted strongly on X on Monday, saying, "I want the entire nation to hear me when I say this isn't just an attack on the people of LA, this is an attack on every person in every city in this country."
She called the ruling "dangerous – it's un-American and threatens the fabric of personal freedom in the U.S." All three liberal justices dissented.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote, "We should not have to live in a country where the government can seize anyone who looks Latino, speaks Spanish and appears to work a low-wage job."
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) shared on X that "SCOTUS just ruled that the Trump administration may continue to enforce federal immigration law in Los Angeles."
He added a pointed question to followers: "Did you vote for this?"
Trump Urges Companies To Follow Immigration Laws
On Sunday, President Donald Trump called on U.S. companies to respect immigration laws after ICE raids at Hyundai Motor Co.'s battery plant in Georgia, where more than 475 workers, mostly South Korean nationals, were detained for working without authorization.
He encouraged firms to hire skilled foreign workers while also training American employees legally.
Last month, the administration also cracked down on the trucking industry following a fatal Florida crash that killed three people after an undocumented truck driver made an illegal U-turn.
In response, the Trump administration threatened to cut $46 million in federal funding annually for states including California, New Mexico, and Washington, citing their failure to enforce language proficiency rules.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
