US federal judge temporarily halts Trump's unlawful immigration stops

(MENAFN) A U.S. federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from continuing controversial immigration enforcement practices in Los Angeles that advocates say involve discriminatory and unlawful stops and arrests, which multiple media outlets reported.

District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong issued the ruling after a Thursday hearing in a lawsuit filed by immigrant rights groups and several individuals affected by the actions. The plaintiffs include three immigrants detained at a bus stop and two U.S. citizens—one of whom was reportedly held despite showing valid identification.

Frimpong found there was sufficient evidence to suggest that federal agents were stopping people based on discriminatory criteria such as race, language, occupation, or simply being present at locations commonly associated with day laborers—such as Home Depot parking lots or car washes.

She stated that these factors do not meet the threshold of "reasonable suspicion" required by the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. “What the federal government would have this Court believe in the face of a mountain of evidence presented in this case is that none of this is actually happening,” she wrote.

The ruling temporarily halts the alleged practices and marks a significant victory for immigrant rights advocates, who claim such enforcement tactics have spread fear among communities, discouraged people from going to work or school, and damaged local businesses.

MENAFN12072025000045017281ID1109791442