LOS ANGELES, Aug 3 — A US appeals court has upheld a ruling blocking immigration agents from conducting patrols in California that led to arbitrary detentions without reasonable suspicion of undocumented status.
LOS ANGELES, Aug 3 — A US appeals court has upheld a ruling blocking immigration agents from conducting patrols in California that led to arbitrary detentions without reasonable suspicion of undocumented status.
In a decision issued late Friday, a three-judge panel rejected the federal government’s attempt to overturn a July injunction that halted “roving patrols” in Los Angeles. Immigration rights groups had condemned the operations as racially discriminatory.
District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong had previously ordered the patrols stopped, stating that the arrests violated constitutional protections against unreasonable government seizures. She found that individuals were being detained based solely on race, language, or place of employment.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals cited the case of Jason Gavidia, a US citizen born in East Los Angeles, who was detained by agents armed with military-style rifles outside a Montebello tow yard on June 12.
“The agents repeatedly questioned Gavidia’s citizenship despite his response: ‘I am an American,’” the ruling noted. Gavidia offered to show his government-issued ID, which agents confiscated along with his phone. The ID was never returned, and the phone was held for 20 minutes.
California residents and advocacy groups subsequently sued the Department of Homeland Security over the detentions.
Los Angeles and its surrounding areas had been a focal point of former President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration enforcement, with agents conducting raids at car washes, bus stops, stores, and farms.
Government lawyers defended the operations, arguing that certain businesses, such as car washes, were targeted due to a higher likelihood of employing undocumented workers.
Rights groups welcomed the court’s decision. “This ruling reaffirms that the administration’s militarized actions in Los Angeles were unconstitutional and caused lasting harm,” said Mohammad Tajsar of the ACLU Foundation of Southern California. “We’re committed to holding the federal government accountable for these authoritarian abuses.” — AFP
WASHINGTON, Aug 25 — SpaceX has called off a scheduled test flight for its Starship megarocket on Sunday, citing the need for additional time to address issues, marking yet another setback for Elon Musk’s colossal project following a string of explosive failures.
WASHINGTON, Aug 25 — SpaceX has called off a scheduled test flight for its Starship megarocket on Sunday, citing the need for additional time to address issues, marking yet another setback for Elon Musk’s colossal project following a string of explosive failures.
CARACAS, Aug 25 — Ninety fashion enthusiasts displayed garments made of lace, denim, cotton, satin, and recycled materials in a diverse "battle of outfits" on Saturday at Venezuela’s National Art Gallery in Caracas, defying traditional fashion norms and celebrating their "unique" identities.