Washington/Los Angeles, September 9(HS): The U.S. Supreme Court has lifted restrictions on sweeping immigration raids in Los Angeles, ruling in favor of the Trump administration and allowing federal agents to continue operations without requiring “reasonable suspicion” for stops.

In a 6-3 decision, the conservative-majority court struck down a lower court order that had halted the raids after evidence suggested mass detentions were being carried out based on race, language, or type of employment. The ruling marks a major boost to President Donald Trump’s pledge of record-level deportations.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, writing for the majority, said ethnicity could not be the sole basis for suspicion but allowed it to be a “relevant factor” in combination with others. Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor issued a sharp dissent, warning the decision legitimises profiling: “Countless people in Los Angeles have been grabbed and handcuffed simply because of their looks, their accents, or the fact they do manual labor.”

Local leaders condemned the ruling. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass denounced it as “dangerous and un-American,” while California Governor Gavin Newsom accused the administration of running “Trump’s private police force.” Immigration advocacy groups behind the lawsuit expressed outrage, calling the move “legalised racism.”

The legal battle stems from raids launched in June that triggered street protests and prompted Trump to deploy thousands of National Guard troops and Marines without state approval—an action later deemed illegal by a federal judge. Despite this setback, the White House welcomed Monday’s ruling, vowing to intensify enforcement in other cities, including Washington DC and Chicago.

The court’s decision not only greenlights ongoing raids in Los Angeles but also signals support for the administration’s broader immigration crackdown as constitutional challenges move forward.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar