Supreme Court Allows Broad Immigration Stops in Los angeles Area
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the Biden governanceS policy allowing Border Patrol agents to conduct “roving patrols” for immigration enforcement in Los Angeles and surrounding counties, rejecting a challenge from immigrant rights groups. The decision effectively ends a legal battle over the tactic, which critics argue leads to unconstitutional stops and targets Latino residents.
The policy,implemented in the seven counties of Los Angeles,Orange,Riverside,San Bernardino,Ventura,Santa Barbara,and San Luis Obispo,permits agents to stop individuals based on suspicion of immigration violations,even without reasonable cause. Roughly 10 million Latinos reside within the affected area, and a similar number speak a language other than English at home, raising concerns about potential racial profiling.
The case originated with a lawsuit alleging the patrols violated the Fourth Amendment rights of those stopped. A lower court initially issued an order restricting the practice, but the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals later rejected arguments that the plaintiffs lacked standing becuase they were unlikely to be stopped again. The 9th Circuit panel cited instances of repeated stops – one plaintiff was stopped twice within 10 days - as evidence of a “real and immediate threat” of future encounters.
Despite the court rulings, critics point to instances of aggressive enforcement following the 9th Circuit’s decision. Days after the appeals court denied a stay, Border Patrol agents reportedly apprehended workers from the parking lot of a Westlake Home Depot in what advocates described as defiance of the courts.
Immigrant rights advocates had urged the supreme Court to intervene, arguing the policy authorizes an “extraordinarily expansive dragnet” placing millions at risk of detention. they maintained the raids followed ”an unconstitutional pattern” officials intended to continue.
“Every Latino should be concerned, every immigrant should be concerned, every person should be concerned,” said Alfonso barragan, a 62-year-old U.S. citizen, outside a los Angeles Home Depot frequently targeted by the sweeps. “They’re allowing the [federal immigration agents] to break the law.”
The Biden administration defended the policy as a necessary tool for border security, while acknowledging the concerns raised by civil liberties groups.
This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.