US judge puts a stop to Trump's raids on immigrants

A district judge in California has ordered the Department of Homeland Security to stop detaining immigrants without probable cause in the US state. The agency may no longer detain people based on their ethnicity, language, or occupation, according to the ruling.

Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong ordered the department to develop guidelines for "reasonable suspicion" that go beyond the aforementioned characteristics. The administration of President Donald Trump failed to provide information on the basis on which immigration arrests are conducted. Previously, "roaming patrols" were based, for example, on whether individuals spoke English or Spanish with an accent.

Appointment by Joe Biden

In a second preliminary injunction, the court also ordered that detainees be given access to legal counsel. A full hearing on this is expected in the coming weeks, according to the New York Times. The civil rights organization ACLU of Southern California filed a lawsuit against the deportation policy on behalf of five individuals and organizations. Judge Frimpong, who made the decision, was appointed by Trump's Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden .

One person was seriously injured during the raid on a legal cannabis farm . Image: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images

Also in California, a farmworker was critically injured on Thursday during a raid by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on a legal cannabis plantation. Initial reports suggested he had succumbed to his injuries, but his family denied this. During the operation in Ventura County, about 90 kilometers from Los Angeles, approximately 200 undocumented immigrants were arrested.

"Fallen from a height of nine meters"

A spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security said the man "fell from a height of nine meters" during the raid. At the same time, there were clashes between ICE officers and protesters. More than 500 rioters attempted to disrupt the operation.

USA Los Angeles 2025 | A young man rides past burning vehicles on a bicycle, lifting the front wheel — In June, thousands of people in Los Angeles protested against Trump's migration policy for weeks, sometimes violently. Image: Etienne Laurent/AFP/Getty Images

Trump's tough stance on immigration sparked weeks of protests in June, particularly in the Los Angeles area. A particularly high number of undocumented people live there; their number is estimated at nearly one million. The demonstrations are primarily directed against ICE security forces, who arrest migrants without legal status for deportation . This agency is part of the Department of Homeland Security.

"Without respect for the rule of law"

During the election campaign, Republican Trump promised to launch the largest deportation program in American history. This has caused mixed reactions among the population. Farmers and hotel and restaurant owners are concerned about losing workers. According to the Department of Agriculture, approximately 40 percent of people employed in this sector lack work and residency permits.

USA Indianola 2024 | Donald Trump stands at a campaign event at a lectern with his name on it, along with the sentence: — During the election campaign - here a rally in Iowa in January 2024 - Trump promised the largest deportation program in US history . Image: Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register-USA TODAY NETWORK/picture alliance

Representatives of the Roman Catholic Church also opposed the authorities' actions. Bishop Alberto Rojas of San Bernardino, California, complained in a letter a week ago that security forces were arresting "brothers and sisters arbitrarily and without respect for the rule of law and their dignity as children of God." Meanwhile, US Border Patrol Agent Tom Homan was applauded at the end of June during an appearance before members of the conservative Christian organization Faith and Freedom Coalition.

jj/pgr (dpa, afp, epd)