LOS ANGELES, CA – The Trump administration has swiftly appealed a federal judge’s sweeping order that mandates immigration officials in Southern California cease arrests without probable cause, arguing that the judiciary is overstepping its authority in dictating immigration enforcement policy. The appeal comes just days after a federal judge in Los Angeles issued a temporary restraining order in response to allegations of widespread unlawful stops and detentions by federal agents.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong ruled that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other federal agencies must refrain from conducting “detentive stops” in the Southern District of California unless agents possess “reasonable suspicion that the person to be stopped is within the United States in violation of U.S. immigration law.” Crucially, the order explicitly bars agents from relying solely on factors such as a person’s apparent race or ethnicity, speaking Spanish or English with an accent, or being present at certain locations like bus stops or car washes as a basis for detention.
The lawsuit, filed by groups including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Public Counsel on behalf of Southern California residents, alleged that immigration officials were engaged in “roving patrols” and making arrests without warrants or sufficient evidence, often targeting individuals based on perceived racial or ethnic characteristics. The lawsuit also claimed that detainees were being held in unconstitutional conditions and denied access to legal counsel. In a separate order, Judge Frimpong also mandated that detainees be provided seven-day-a-week access to attorneys and confidential phone calls.
The Trump administration quickly countered the ruling. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson stated, “No federal judge has the authority to dictate immigration policy — that authority rests with Congress and the President.” She added that “enforcement operations require careful planning and execution; skills far beyond the purview or jurisdiction of any judge. We expect this gross overstep of judicial authority to be corrected on appeal.”
Critics of the administration’s immigration tactics have praised Judge Frimpong’s ruling, calling it a vital protection of constitutional rights. California Governor Gavin Newsom lauded the decision, stating, “California stands with the law and the Constitution — and I call on the Trump Administration to do the same.”
However, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, a Trump appointee, has maintained that federal agents operate with proper legal justification, asserting, “We strongly disagree with the allegations in the lawsuit and maintain that our agents have never detained individuals without proper legal justification.”
The appeal is now headed to a higher court, setting the stage for another significant legal battle over the scope of immigration enforcement powers and constitutional protections in the United States. Communities across Southern California remain on edge as the legal fight unfolds.
