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-Editorial
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that federal immigration officers may conduct suspicionless stops in California, reinforcing the federal government’s authority over immigration enforcement.
In Noem v. Perdomo, the U.S. Supreme Court granted the Trump administration’s request to freeze lower court rulings that barred immigration agents from stopping individuals without reasonable suspicion. The lower courts had prohibited agents from relying solely on factors such as apparent race or ethnicity, language, location, or occupation. The high court’s decision allows federal officers to resume stops in Los Angeles and surrounding counties, drawing criticism from civil liberties groups who warn it could lead to racial profiling and widespread intimidation of immigrant communities.
Gov. Gavin Newsom sharply criticized the ruling, saying in a statement:
“Trump’s hand-picked Supreme Court majority just became the Grand Marshal for a parade of racial terror in Los Angeles. This isn’t about enforcing immigration laws — it’s about targeting Latinos and anyone who doesn’t look or sound like Stephen Miller’s idea of an American, including U.S. citizens and children, to deliberately harm California’s families and small businesses deliberately. 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.”
State Sen. Sabrina Cervantes, D-Riverside, said in a statement that the ruling gives immigration authorities “unchecked power to raid our communities.”
“This is racial profiling, not safety,” Cervantes said. “This is state-sanctioned cruelty and an attack on families, human dignity, and on the very essence of justice. Families should not be targeted for simply existing. We will not be silent. We will fight back.”
Justice Sonia Sotomayor, dissenting in Noem v. Perdomo, said the ruling “threatens the constitutional freedoms of millions of people. We should not have to live in a country where the government can seize anyone who looks Latino, speaks Spanish, and appears to work a low-wage job. Rather than stand idly by while our constitutional freedoms are lost, I dissent.”
Norma Chávez-Peterson, executive director of ACLU-SDIC, called the ruling a “devastating setback in the never-ending fight for civil liberties. By allowing immigration agents to resume racially discriminatory stops and arrests without cause, the court has greenlit a campaign of terror that threatens families across Southern California and sets a dangerous precedent nationwide. Families can now be targeted simply for the language they speak, the color of their skin, or the kind of work they do. We remain resolute in defending the constitutional rights of all people.”
Supporters of the ruling said the decision provides clarity for immigration enforcement and strengthens federal authority along the border. Federal officials argued that suspicionless stops are essential in areas where undocumented immigration is a persistent challenge.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said the Supreme Court’s stay is “a win for the safety and security of the American people and the rule of law. Our brave DHS law enforcement will continue operations in Los Angeles to remove the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens who pose a danger to public safety. Make America safe again!”
The three dissenting justices said the majority’s opinion weakens the Fourth Amendment and disproportionately affects Latino communities.