Donald Trump's aggressive immigration raids backed by US Supreme Court in decision branded 'abhorrent'

In a 6–3 ruling on Monday, the Court’s conservative majority overturned a federal ban issued in July that had blocked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from carrying out workplace raids and street arrests based on limited or discriminatory criteria.

That ban had been imposed by US district judge Maame Frimpong, who found that ICE arrests in California lacked “reasonable suspicion” and appeared to be based primarily on race, language and type of employment - a ruling that the Supreme Court has now rejected.

Writing for the majority, Justice Brett Kavanaugh acknowledged that ethnicity alone cannot justify a stop or arrest but argued that it can be a “relevant factor” when combined with other circumstances.

"To be clear, apparent ethnicity alone cannot furnish reasonable suspicion," he wrote. "However, it can be a 'relevant factor' when considered along with other salient factors."

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Democratic leaders reacted to Monday's ruling with anger, warning the decision would embolden ICE agents and undermine basic protections against discrimination.

Among them was LA Mayor Karen Bass, who said in a statement shared by the BBC: "Today's ruling is not only dangerous - it's un-American and threatens the fabric of personal freedom in the United States of America.

"This decision will lead to more working families being torn apart and fear of the very institutions meant to protect - not persecute - our people."

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, in a strongly worded dissent, said the ruling would have immediate and painful consequences for immigrant and minority communities.

She said: "Countless people in the Los Angeles area have been grabbed, thrown to the ground, and handcuffed simply because of their looks, their accents, and the fact they make a living by doing manual labor. Today, the Court needlessly subjects countless more to these exact same indignities.”

California governor Gavin Newsom condemned the ruling as “abhorrent” and vowed to resist its implementation in his state.

He added: "This isn’t about enforcing immigration laws - it’s about targeting Latinos and anyone who doesn’t look or sound like [White House Deputy Chief of Staff] Stephen Miller’s idea of an American, including US citizens and children, to deliberately harm California’s families and small businesses."

In June, Trump commenced the immigration raids in heavily Latino parts of LA, sparking mass protests

He later evoked Title 10 of the US Code and deployed 700 Marines and 4,000 National Groups to Los Angeles to combat the protestors.

Last month, Trump also deployed hundreds of National Guard troops to Washington DC in a government crackdown.

The President had portrayed the nation’s capital’s crime as “out of control”, despite Justice Department data showing violent crime hit a 30-year low last year.

He is also reportedly working on plans from the White House to deploy US military to Chicago this month.