Federal judge orders the Trump administration to stop its broad use of immigration detentions and inspections in California

Federal Judge Maame E. Frimpong on Friday ordered Donald Trump's administration to halt all indiscriminate immigration detentions and inspections in seven California counties, including the city of Los Angeles. The ruling came after immigrant advocacy groups filed a lawsuit last week accusing the administration of systematically targeting brown-skinned individuals in Southern California as part of an aggressive immigration crackdown. The lawsuit, filed in district court, also sought to block the administration from using what the plaintiffs described as "unconstitutional tactics" during immigration raids.

In the order, the judge barred the Trump administration from using factors such as apparent race or ethnicity, speaking English or Spanish with an accent, a person’s occupation, or their presence in locations like tow yards or car washes as the sole basis for establishing “reasonable suspicion” to detain them.

Response to the lawsuit

Federal Judge Frimpong also issued a separate order prohibiting the federal government from restricting attorneys’ access to the immigration detention center in Los Angeles. The order requires that the “B-18” facility allow attorney visits seven days a week and ensure detainees have access to confidential phone calls with their lawyers.

The judge issued these emergency orders—a temporary measure while the lawsuit proceeds—one day after advocacy groups argued at a hearing that the Trump administration was violating the Fourth and Fifth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. In her ruling, Judge Frimpong stated that a “mountain of evidence” had been presented demonstrating that the federal government had indeed committed the alleged violations.

In response to the lawsuit, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Undersecretary Tricia McLaughlin issued a statement calling claims that individuals were “targeted” based on their skin color “disgusting and categorically false.” She emphasized that all enforcement operations are “highly targeted,” and that officers conduct thorough due diligence before making any arrests.