A federal judge in the United States on Friday ruled that the Department of Homeland Security violated constitutional rights by carrying out arrests without reasonable suspicion and denying detainees access to legal representation, ordering the agency to cease detaining individuals based solely on their race, language, or occupation.
US District Judge, Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, appointed by President Joe Biden, directed DHS to create clear guidelines for officers to determine “reasonable suspicion” that do not rely on a person’s ethnicity, spoken language, job, or location, such as being present at a bus stop.
The decision stems from a lawsuit filed last week by the ACLU of Southern California against the Trump administration, representing five individuals and several immigrant advocacy groups.
The suit accused DHS, which includes Immigration and Customs Enforcement of making unconstitutional arrests and denying detainees access to legal representation.
The court’s order is limited to the Central District of California, which encompasses Los Angeles and six nearby counties.
In her ruling, Judge Frimpong concluded that the plaintiffs had presented convincing evidence that immigration authorities under the Trump administration were “conducting roving patrols without reasonable suspicion and denying access to lawyers.”
“This Court decides, based on all the evidence presented, that they are,” she wrote.
She also criticized the government for failing to provide documentation justifying its arrests.
The temporary restraining order, which also names the FBI and the Department of Justice, both of which participated in immigration enforcement,requires DHS to maintain and share arrest records with plaintiffs’ attorneys on a regular basis.
During a hearing on Thursday, Frimpong expressed doubt over the government’s claims that arrests were based on “intelligence” or “trend analysis” rather than targeting based on ethnicity or presumed undocumented status. She challenged the lack of evidence supporting their reasoning.
“It’s hard for the court to believe you couldn’t find one case with a report of why someone was targeted,” Frimpong told government lawyers.
In a separate ruling, the judge barred DHS from denying legal access to detainees held at a facility identified as “B-18.”
Immigration advocates had reported that detainees there were not allowed to contact lawyers and were being held in substandard conditions, including a lack of beds, medical care, and showers.
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin condemned the court’s decision, stating, “A district judge is undermining the will of the American people.”
Since his return to office, President Donald Trump has taken a more aggressive stance on immigration. Last month, his administration instructed ICE to intensify deportation operations in cities led by Democrats and to pursue mass deportations.
Trump also deployed thousands of National Guard troops to Los Angeles in response to public demonstrations against immigration raids. The administration had earlier sued the city for its sanctuary city policy.
California Governor Gavin Newsom responded to the ruling on X, declaring, “California stands with the law and the Constitution and I call on the Trump Administration to do the same.”
Los Angeles Mayor, Karen Bass, also praised the court’s decision, calling it “an important step toward restoring safety, security and defending the rights of all Angelenos.”
ACLU attorney Mohammad Tajsar emphasized the broader implications of the decision, stating, “No matter the color of their skin, what language they speak, or where they work, everyone is guaranteed constitutional rights to protect them from unlawful stops.”
