US Supreme Court Backs Trump on Immigration Raids in California

The US Supreme Court has allowed President Donald Trump’s administration to press forward with aggressive immigration raids in Southern California. The ruling came on Monday, September 8, 2025. It grants a Justice Department request to put on hold a lower court’s order that had blocked agents from stopping people without “reasonable suspicion.”

The decision represents another major win for Trump’s hardline immigration policy. According to Reuters, the court’s conservative majority sided with the administration, while its three liberal justices issued a strong dissent. The ruling has already sparked fears and protests in immigrant communities across Los Angeles.

Supreme Court Divides Over Immigration Powers

The case arose after US District Judge Maame Frimpong blocked federal agents from using race, language, or type of job as the sole basis for detentions. Her ruling found that the raids likely violated the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unreasonable searches.

The Trump administration quickly appealed. On August 1, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals refused to lift the block. The Justice Department then turned to the Supreme Court, which ruled 6–3 in favor of the administration.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, warned that the order opens the door to widespread racial profiling. “All Latinos, citizens or not, who work low-wage jobs are now fair game,” she wrote. Conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh countered that ethnicity can be “a relevant factor” when combined with other indicators, but insisted that citizens are released if proved lawful.

Impact on Los Angeles and Beyond

The raids have been ongoing since June, when Trump deployed National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles to reinforce immigration enforcement. Local officials, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, condemned the move as unlawful.

Community groups describe the raids as “brazen kidnappings,” with masked agents detaining people in workplaces and neighborhoods. A class-action lawsuit filed in July claims US citizens were among those wrongly detained, including one man questioned about the hospital where he was born.

Trump, who secured a second term in 2024, has promised record levels of deportations. His aide Stephen Miller earlier set a target of 3,000 daily arrests. Monday’s Supreme Court ruling clears a major legal hurdle, though challenges continue in lower courts.

The US Supreme Court has once again backed Trump’s immigration crackdown. The ruling deepens political divisions and raises new questions about civil rights, policing, and the limits of federal power.

FYI (keeping you in the loop)-

Q1: What did the US Supreme Court decide?

The court allowed Trump’s administration to resume raids in Southern California, putting on hold a lower court order that blocked them.

Q2: Why is the ruling controversial?

Critics say it encourages racial profiling. Supporters argue agents still release people once legal status is confirmed.

Q3: Which justices dissented?

Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson opposed the decision, warning of civil rights violations.

Q4: How does this affect Los Angeles?

Federal raids will continue. Troops and armed agents remain in the city, sparking protests and lawsuits.

Q5: What is Trump’s immigration goal?

His administration has set a target of 3,000 deportation arrests per day, backed by expanded raids and military support.