The Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision Monday allowing federal immigration agents to stop and detain people in Southern California based on their appearance, language, location or occupation, reversing a lower court order that had restricted such practices.
The ruling permits Immigration and Customs Enforcement to conduct "roving patrols" in areas like car washes and Home Depot parking lots, which were previously off-limits under a court injunction filed in June that aimed to prevent racial profiling during immigration raids in Los Angeles.
"It's a stamp of approval from the U.S. Supreme Court on what we believe are unconstitutional practices of racial profiling," immigration attorney Win Eaton said.
The decision is viewed as a significant victory for the Trump administration's immigration enforcement efforts, though it has sparked concerns among Hispanic communities throughout the region.
Maria Cruz, a resident of Arvin, expressed her opposition to the ruling.
"I don't agree with the ruling. I don't think it is right for them to discriminate against us Hispanics because of our skin color, where we work, or because we don't speak English. We simply come to this country to work and help our families," Cruz said.
Eaton noted that this represents a preliminary decision in ongoing litigation, with the next hearing scheduled for Sept. 24. He explained that the ruling stems from the administration's use of emergency powers.
"This president has exercised what we call the shadow docket or this emergency clause, declaring emergencies can give him the ability to do things for fairly short periods of time," Eaton said.
The decision has raised particular concerns in areas of Kern County like Arvin, where the majority of residents are Spanish-speaking.
Wendy Quevedo, a community resident, described the impact on local workers.
"These are tough times. This makes the Hispanic community feel discriminated against. It's sad to see the fields empty with no workers. Who's going to work those jobs?" Quevedo said.
While the Supreme Court's ruling currently applies mainly to Southern California, residents in Kern County are questioning how soon similar enforcement measures might extend to their area.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere:
