A federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to stop making indiscriminate immigration arrests in seven California counties, including Los Angeles.
The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by immigrant advocacy groups challenging the legality of recent enforcement operations.
The plaintiffs in the case include three immigrants currently detained and two U.S. citizens, one of whom was allegedly held by immigration agents despite presenting valid identification.
The lawsuit accuses the administration of engaging in racial profiling and violating constitutional rights.
The case, filed in U.S. District Court, seeks to block the federal government from conducting immigration raids using what the plaintiffs describe as unconstitutional methods.
These include detaining individuals based solely on race, making arrests without warrants, and denying detainees legal counsel, according to the New York Post.
Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, denied the allegations. She stated that accusations of racial targeting by law enforcement are “disgusting and categorically FALSE.”
McLaughlin defended the immigration operations, saying agents conduct thorough background checks and that the enforcement actions are “highly targeted.” She insisted that agents act on specific information when carrying out arrests.
Judge Maame E. Frimpong, who issued the ruling, also blocked the