Did the US Supreme Court Just Greenlight Immigration Raids in LA?

Washington, Sep 9 (NationPress) In a significant legal triumph for the Trump administration, the US Supreme Court on Monday rescinded a lower court's injunction that had prohibited Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from executing sweeping immigration raids in the Los Angeles region.

The 6-3 ruling approved an emergency appeal from the Trump administration, enabling agents to recommence their operations while the case is heard in the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals.

The majority of the Supreme Court did not provide a rationale, but Justice Brett Kavanaugh issued a separate concurrence, mentioning that agents could use “common sense criteria” for questioning, such as day labor jobs or limited proficiency in English.

Kavanaugh emphasized, “The Judiciary does not formulate immigration policy or determine enforcement priorities.”

Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented, supported by the two other liberal justices, asserting, “We should not have to inhabit a country where the Government can detain anyone who appears Latino, speaks Spanish, and seems to be engaged in low-wage employment.”

In July, a US District Judge determined that the raids were likely infringing upon constitutional rights and forbade stops based on race, ethnicity, or language.

After the 9th Circuit Court opted not to obstruct the order in early August, the Trump administration escalated the matter to the Supreme Court through an emergency petition.

This ruling emerges as the Department of Homeland Security has commenced its initiative, titled “Operation Midway Blitz,” targeting illegal migrants in Chicago.

Trump has threatened military deployment in Chicago for several months, and last week shared an image on Truth Social with the caption, “Chicago is about to discover why it’s called the Department of War.”

As the immigration enforcement intensifies nationwide, South Korea's foreign minister, Cho Hyun, was dispatched to the United States on Monday to oversee the return of over 300 Korean nationals who were apprehended in a significant immigration raid in Georgia last week.

On September 4, approximately 475 workers were detained at a battery plant under construction, including over 300 Korean workers. This event has sparked considerable outrage in South Korea, with lawmakers urging firm retaliation against the US actions.

Trump asserted that “workers were present illegally” and urged all foreign enterprises investing in the United States to “please adhere to our Nation’s Immigration Laws.”