Being a minority in Los Angeles once felt normal. It felt like everyone belonged, no matter the color of their skin, where they worked or what language they spoke. We were equally protected and free — a promise granted under the U.S. Constitution. That promise feels broken now.
In Perdomo v. Noem, a case regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) roving patrols in public areas, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Sept. 8, granting ICE the authority to resume immigration operations in Los Angeles County. These include public detainments and workplaces raids.
The ruling has lifted previous restrictions that once required ICE to follow local law enforcement and state oversight to ensure the rights of people remain untouched. In my opinion, this has now allowed ICE agents to compete for who will catch the most brown people.
The door to unchecked racial profiling has reopened in our communities. People are being stopped and detained simply because they are brown, speak Spanish or work at a car wash. This decision feels like a direct violation of the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause, a constitutional law meant to ensure fairness for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity or origin. That is why I believe this ruling is not only a racial justice issue, but also a human rights issue.
I believe this decision fuels the growing fear for many immigrants who are taxpayers, residents and contributors to our economy. It sends them a chilling message that whether they are undocumented or look undocumented in the eyes of the government, that’s reason enough for them to be targeted.
Tension has only intensified since the ruling. Recent reports show that the DHS has sent letters to New York, Illinois and California demanding they accept ICE detainers requests to keep people in state custody until ICE can assume federal custody. California has not responded to this request, while the other two states have denied it. The letters serve as a warning that if the states don’t comply, they may face lawsuits and possible funding cuts.
Meanwhile, many communities are being affected by the expansion of ICE-related detentions. According to the organization Freedom For Immigrants, in California City, CoreCivic, a for-profit prison company, is violating state law by continuing to detain and take immigrants to their facility with an invalid permit. These detention centers are profiting off human suffering while they operate under shady legal authority. Local residents are speaking out against the facility, asking city leaders to close CoreCivic and end their contracts with ICE.
Federal contracts have supported past efforts to reopen or expand private ICE detention centers; actions go against California’s law banning private prisons from being used for this purpose. As shown in a 2020 report, the Trump administration tried to challenge California Assembly Bill 32, which was passed to end for-profit prisons within California. Whether immigration detention centers and ICE raids are illegal, I believe the main concern is how systems of power can easily target or dehumanize people.
What’s more alarming is how these government efforts conflict with the racial equity efforts of California institutions. California State University, Northridge (CSUN) has made detailed procedures to ensure its students and faculty remain safe. CSUN’s Immigration Enforcement Information & Services Resource Hub outlines the university’s refusal to give out personal information and assist ICE agents. CSUN Campus Police Department have committed to not engage in any immigration enforcement as well.
The U.S. Constitution was not made to protect a select few – it was meant to protect everyone. That promise has been broken by the very institutions meant to uphold it. In my eyes, this makes the Equal Protection Clause and other amendments feel like ink on paper and nothing more.
If the government is persistent on violating constitutional and state laws, we must be equally persistent in defending our rights.
