A ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court on September 8 has lifted restrictions on immigration stops in Los Angeles. Prior to this ruling, federal judge Maame E. Frimpong barred LA federal agents from stopping and questioning people based on their race, ethnicity, if they spoke Spanish, or English with an accent.
When asked if she thinks that these stops make America safer, a senior, Bri Oteyza said “No. Because people are still gonna do things, even if you stop them.” These restrictions were lifted after all six conservative justices voted in support of these traffic stops, in a 6:3 majority. In his decision, conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote, “Immigration stops based on reasonable suspicion of illegal presence have been an important component of U.S. immigration enforcement for decades, across several presidential administrations”.
However, Frimpong previously argued that immigration stops may violate the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures by the government. When asked if she believes that this ruling violates the 4th amendment, sophomore Domino Ashby answered, “I do, because they don’t have any real reason to stop people.” Spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, Tricia McLaughlin, commented on the decision, “This is a win for the safety of Californians and the rule of law.” When Freshman Skylar Britt, was asked if she thought that immigration stops will benefit America, she stated “No, I do not, because like I said, a lot of people in Southern California do come up legally.” These immigration stops often face criticism for racial profiling, defined as the use of race or ethnicity as grounds for suspecting someone of having committed an offense. This controversial ruling is sure to have an effect on America as a whole.
