Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete praised the ruling, saying it reaffirmed the city’s commitment to protecting residents from unjust detention
A federal judge sided with Santa Monica, Los Angeles, and other local governments Friday, ordering a stop to immigration enforcement tactics that targeted individuals based on race, language, or where they worked, Santa Monica city officials announced. The ruling blocks federal agents from conducting stops and arrests in the region without reasonable suspicion of an immigration violation.
U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong’s decision comes after a coalition of cities, including Santa Monica, sought to join a lawsuit challenging raids that swept up more than 1,500 people in recent months. The judge found that federal officers had unlawfully detained individuals at bus stops, car washes, and other public places while relying on racial profiling rather than evidence of wrongdoing.
Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete praised the ruling, saying it reaffirmed the city’s commitment to protecting residents from unjust detention. “Our residents should not have to live in fear of being detained or arrested solely because of how they look.” Negrete said in a statement. “We’re hopeful today’s ruling will put an end to these unconstitutional raids and provide some reassurance and comfort to the community.”
The lawsuit, filed by civil rights groups on behalf of detained workers and advocacy organizations, described aggressive tactics by masked agents who allegedly handcuffed people without explanation. Some U.S. citizens, including a tow yard employee in East Los Angeles, reported being questioned and restrained despite showing identification.
Detainees were held at a federal facility in downtown Los Angeles, where attorneys said they were repeatedly denied access to clients. In one instance, guards used chemical spray to disperse advocates attempting to communicate with detainees through van windows, according to a release from the city of Santa Monica.
The judge’s order requires federal authorities to allow legal visits and confidential calls for those detained, mirroring standards at other immigration facilities. It also bars agents from using race, Spanish-speaking, or common work sites like day labor pickup spots as sole justification for stops.
The Department of Homeland Security argued the operations were lawful but failed to provide records showing individualized suspicion for arrests. The judge rejected claims that the court lacked authority to intervene, noting constitutional protections apply regardless of immigration status.
A hearing to determine whether the restrictions should extend through the case is expected later this month. Santa Monica and other local governments, which joined the legal effort this week, say they will continue pushing for permanent safeguards against profiling.
The case is *Vasquez Perdomo v. Noem*, filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
