CLIENT UPDATE: COURT BLOCKS ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION RAIDS IN LOS ANGELES
A federal court has ruled that recent immigration raids in Los Angeles broke the law. Officers were targeting people based on how they look, where they live, or what language they speak. That is not allowed under the Constitution.
Here’s what happened and what it means for you.
1. WHAT THE CASE IS ABOUT
- Immigration officers were stopping and arresting people in Los Angeles without a warrant
- Many were detained in a federal building basement called B-18
- People were held in poor conditions, with no food, beds, or legal help
- A group of local residents and organizations filed a lawsuit to stop this
2. COURT ISSUED A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER (TRO)
- The TRO stopped the raids and detentions
- The court said the government violated the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and arrests
- The TRO also requires that people detained at B-18 must be allowed to speak with a lawyer
3. THE GOVERNMENT TRIED TO STOP THE TRO. THE COURT SAID NO.
- The federal government asked a higher court to pause the protections
- On August 2, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denied that request
- The court ruled that:
- Racial profiling is illegal
- Officers cannot detain people based only on race, language, or neighborhood
- The raids were unconstitutional
4. WHO FILED THE CASE
- Five individuals in Los Angeles
- Four advocacy groups:
- Los Angeles Worker Center Network
- United Farm Workers
- Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA)
- Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef)
- Legal teams from the ACLU and other civil rights groups
SUMMARY
- A court has blocked immigration raids in LA that illegally broke the law
- Officers cannot stop or arrest someone just because of their race or where they live
- People detained at B-18 must be allowed to speak with a lawyer
- The government tried to remove these protections, but the court refused
WHAT CLIENTS SHOULD DO
- If you or someone you know is stopped by immigration, ask:
- Do they have a warrant?
- Why are they stopping you?
- If someone is detained at B-18, ask to speak with a lawyer
- Stay calm, know your rights, and call your attorney as soon as possible
