The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday removed restrictions on federal immigration enforcement in Central California, siding with the Biden administration’s continuation of tactics first expanded under former President Donald Trump. Critics had argued the measures amounted to unconstitutional racial profiling.
The ruling, issued without a detailed opinion, overturned decisions from two lower courts that had temporarily blocked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. Those courts had concluded ICE was likely violating the Fourth Amendment by singling out people based largely on race, ethnicity, or language.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh, concurring with the decision, wrote that the government had a “fair prospect of success on the merits” and should not be barred from enforcing the policy for now. While acknowledging that ethnicity alone cannot justify suspicion, he noted it “can be a relevant factor” under existing immigration law. He also questioned whether advocacy groups and individuals had standing to bring the case at all.
The Court’s three liberal justices strongly disagreed.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor called the decision a “grave misuse” of the Court’s emergency docket and warned against eroding constitutional protections. “We should not have to live in a country where the Government can seize anyone who looks Latino, speaks Spanish, and works a low-wage job,” she wrote in her dissent.
The ruling sparked immediate backlash in California.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass warned that the decision “threatens the fabric of personal freedom,” saying it allows federal agents to racially profile residents, detain them without warrants, and tear families apart.
Governor Gavin Newsom condemned what he called “Trump’s hand-picked Supreme Court majority,” accusing the justices of enabling policies designed to target Latinos and destabilize California communities. “Trump’s private police force now has a green light to come after your family — and every person is now a target — but we will continue fighting these abhorrent attacks on Californians,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security praised the ruling. Spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin wrote on X that it was a “win for the safety of Californians and the rule of law,” adding that ICE would continue removing “murderers, rapists, gang members, and other criminal illegal aliens.”
