Home Depot in Los Angeles undergoes two raids in a single day, sparking accusations that immigration agents are defying a judicial decree.
The temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong on July 11, 2021, effectively restricts federal agents in Southern and Central California from conducting immigration raids that target workers indiscriminately based on race, language, vocation, or location without reasonable suspicion of illegal immigration status.
The judge found that prior raids targeted individuals based on ethnicity (e.g., appearing Hispanic), speaking Spanish, and specific work locations such as car washes and Home Depots, and ruled that such factors alone did not constitute reasonable suspicion for detention. This was viewed as a violation of the Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.
Following the TRO, there was a significant reduction in arrests of undocumented immigrants in Southern California, indicating some effectiveness of the order. The U.S. Department of Justice (under the Trump administration) appealed the order, claiming it threatened the ability of immigration officials to enforce laws effectively, but the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the TRO. The administration then sought emergency relief from the U.S. Supreme Court to lift the TRO, arguing it constrained immigration enforcement. However, the order remains in place as of early August 2025, and enforcement practices must comply with the restriction that agents have reasonable suspicion before targeting individuals based on protected criteria.
Border Patrol agents reportedly arrested 16 people at a Home Depot in Westlake on Wednesday using Penske trucks. City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto is investigating whether the temporary restraining order was violated during the Westlake raid. U.S. Border Patrol Sector Chief Greg Bovino stated that federal agents always abide by the law during enforcement operations.
Operation Trojan Horse, a targeted operation based on pre-intelligence, not an indiscriminate sweep, was also carried out in June. Nearly half of the people arrested during this operation were Mexicans and most were men. Of the 16 people apprehended, at least six had "significant immigration and criminal histories," according to Bovino.
Democratic lawmakers demand an inquiry into whether citizens' civil rights have been violated during immigration crackdowns. L.A. Mayor Karen Bass raised concerns that the arrests may have violated the temporary restraining order. The operations took place around 7:35 a.m. and then again at 11:50 a.m. outside the Home Depot on Roscoe Boulevard.
Maegan Ortiz, executive director of Instituto de Educación Popular del Sur de California, confirmed 10 people were taken during Operation Trojan Horse. There is anecdotal evidence that the immigration raids may be picking up steam in Los Angeles once again. The temporary restraining order, however, continues to limit the federal agents' ability to conduct broad, indiscriminate raids based solely on race, language, vocation, or location without reasonable suspicion.
- The temporary restraining order in California has limited the federal agents' ability to conduct broad, indiscriminate raids based solely on race, language, vocation, or location without reasonable suspicion.
- Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has expressed concerns that the recent arrests at a Home Depot may have violated the temporary restraining order.
- City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto is investigating whether the temporary restraining order was violated during a recent raid at a Home Depot in Westlake.
- U.S. Border Patrol Sector Chief Greg Bovino stated that federal agents always abide by the law during enforcement operations, but this claim is being challenged by some opinion leaders and lawmakers.
- Democratic lawmakers are demanding an inquiry into whether citizens' civil rights have been violated during immigration crackdowns, citing concerns about potential violations of the Fourth Amendment and the temporary restraining order in California.
