Spectrum News 1: California leaders denounce Supreme Court ruling on immigration stops
By Staff and Nathalie Basha
Following the Supreme Court’s decision Monday to stay a temporary restraining order on immigration stops in Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass and other officials vowed to continue fighting to keep the community safe.
The order from a lower court had blocked federal agents from racially profiling and discriminating against Angelenos because of the color of their skin, their accent, speaking Spanish and their place of work.
“I want the entire nation to hear me when I say this isn’t just an attack on the people of Los Angeles, this is an attack on every person in every city in this country. Today’s ruling is not only dangerous — it’s un-American and threatens the fabric of personal freedom in the United States of America,” Bass said in a statement Monday. “Today, the highest court in the country ruled that the White House and masked federal agents can racially profile Angelenos with no due process, snatch them off the street with no evidence or warrant, and take them away with no explanation. This decision will lead to more working families being torn apart and fear of the very institutions meant to protect — not persecute — our people.”
“Let me be clear: we will not allow the White House, nor the Supreme Court, to divide us,” Bass added in her statement. “And to all Angelenos, I will never stop fighting for your rights, your dignity, and your safety, despite this administration’s efforts to threaten them. We will stand united.”
Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho, meanwhile, posted a statement to X.
“Los Angeles Unified remains unwavering in our resolve to ensure schools are safe, welcoming environments for all students — regardless of immigration status,” his statement reads in part. “Let me be unequivocal: our schools remain protected spaces.”
The ACLU Foundation of Southern California, which was among the organizations that sued over the indiscriminate immigration stops, also voiced its reaction Monday.
“This decision is a devastating setback for our plaintiffs and communities who, for months, have been subjected to immigration stops because of the color of their skin, occupation, or the language they speak,” said Mohammad Tajsar, senior staff attorney at ACLU SoCal. “In running to the Supreme Court to request this stay, the government made clear that its enforcement operation in Southern California is driven by race. We will continue fighting the administration’s racist deportation scheme to ensure every person living in Southern California — regardless of race or status — is safe.”
Among California Democratic leaders denouncing the ruling and pledging to continue to fight against the Trump administration’s policies and ICE raids was Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas.
“Trump’s Supreme Court is once again attacking our freedoms,” Rivas said. “California will fight back with everything we’ve got — to keep families safe, protect our way of life and hold ICE accountable. We’ve already passed laws to prevent raids in our schools and hospitals, and I will always stand with immigrant communities, workers and families. The only way we stop Trump is by standing together.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom called the ruling an “attack on Californians.”
“Trump’s hand-picked Supreme Court majority just became the Grand Marshal for a parade of racial terror in Los Angeles. This isn’t about enforcing immigration laws — it’s about targeting Latinos and anyone who doesn’t look or sound like Stephen Miller’s idea of an American, including U.S. citizens and children, to deliberately harm California’s families and small businesses,” Newsom said. “Trump’s private police force now has a green light to come after your family — and every person is now a target — but we will continue fighting these abhorrent attacks on Californians.”
Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., called the rounding up of people based on the color of their skin as “blatantly illegal.”
“This Administration rounded up and arrested California residents, including U.S. citizens and legal residents, based on the color of their skin or the language they speak,” Schiff said. “This is blatantly illegal, yet the Supreme Court is allowing it to happen while the case proceeds. When the history of this country’s rapid descent into dictatorship is written, Republicans in Congress and the Roberts Court will have been its primary enabler.”
LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, who oversees the 3rd District, which includes the heavily Latino-populated San Fernando Valley, said, “Immigrants belong here.”
“While the Supreme Court’s disappointing ruling will inevitably give cover to racial profiling, let me be clear: here in LA County, we regard our immigrant communities as our families & friends, our workers, and our neighbors. Immigrants belong here, and we will fight with everything we have to protect their safety, their dignity, and their future.”
U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., a ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, who was called Jose by Vice President JD Vance during a visit to California, said in a statement:
“The Administration has said it themselves: they are detaining people simply based on whether they ‘look’ like an immigrant, on the language they speak, or where they work. Today’s radical Supreme Court decision tramples on our Constitution and enables racial profiling to continue without explanation.
“Trump isn’t just targeting violent criminals; he’s sweeping up hardworking people — including U.S. citizens — indiscriminately. And he’s sowing fear and damaging our economy in the process. This is not the final say. There is still time for the Courts to stop this blatantly racist policy from threatening the basic freedoms of Americans and immigrants alike.”
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