Promises of targeting more than 10 million immigrants lacking proper documentation — the largest deportation in United States history. Declaring a national emergency, for the second time, at the southern border of the US on his inauguration. Issuing an executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship.
As part of his campaign, and following his election into office, President Donald Trump has emphasized strong deportation policies that target immigrants lacking legal status.
Los Angeles, and much of America, was built by immigrant labor. This is a statement that continues to ring true today, as immigrants remain a driving force behind our economy and cultural identity. Rapid and mass deportations endanger the immigrants who make up 19.2% of the U.S. civilian labor force and the 15.4% of all U.S. residents who help keep America’s diverse culture alive.
These deportations erode democracy by ignoring constitutional rights and promoting racist practices. It is vital that we, as members of the LA community, offer a beacon of support during polarizing political conditions. We must stand up for and support anyone impacted by immigration enforcement, regardless of their immigration status.
In 2024, nearly 35 million non-U.S. citizens applied for green cards, allowing them to live and work legally in the US, but the government caps the number of green cards issued at a little more than one million per year. Additionally, the number of immigrants lacking proper documentation in 2023 reached an estimated all-time high of 14 million, but as of mid-2025, numbers continue to be at similar levels due to Trump’s efforts to curb America’s immigrant population.
According to USC Equity Research Institute, Los Angeles is home to 3.6 million immigrants, and the LA City Council unanimously designated it as a sanctuary city back in 2024. Sanctuary policies, however, don’t stop federal immigration raids or arrests, so local police are still required to follow federal warrants. This spring, Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests in LA quadrupled between April and June: The monthly number of immigrants arrested without criminal convictions jumped from 35% to 69%.
Many of these arrests have targeted immigrants with proper documentation, as well as people off the street who look “suspicious” to ICE. Arresting people on the basis of appearance rather than actual status challenges the Trump administration’s claims of targeting criminals for deportation. Making arrests on guesswork rather than evidence is not only racist, but also unconstitutional under the Fourth Amendment. The amendment, which includes protection from unreasonable searches and seizures, asserts that ICE and other law enforcement agencies cannot stop, detain or search immigrants without probable cause.
Under this administration, immigration enforcement has ignored other rights as well. The First Amendment protects freedom of speech, yet the Trump administration revoked student Rümeysa Öztürk’s visa after she published an op-ed criticizing her university’s policy toward Israel, essentially punishing her for exercising a right that should apply to everyone in America.
Lower courts agreed that ICE shouldn’t have the ability to make “immigration stops” on the basis of appearance and employment, but the Supreme Court’s decision Sept. 8 overturned this ruling, effectively permitting such practices to continue.
As one of the six in favor, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said that the lower courts had overextended their authority by attempting to limit what ICE can or cannot do.
“To be clear, apparent ethnicity alone cannot furnish reasonable suspicion; under this Court’s case law regarding immigration stops,” Kavanaugh said. “However, it can be a ‘relevant factor’ when considered along with other salient factors.”
Now, by overturning this ruling, the Supreme Court has indicated that it is possible for people to be considered suspects based on ordinary aspects of their lives — where they live, what language they speak and the color of their skin — especially those living in Latino communities.
“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,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in her dissent to this ruling. “Today, the Court needlessly subjects countless more to these exact same indignities.”
In light of these injustices, we must extend support to members of our community by fostering an atmosphere of open dialogue and safety. Encouraging people to conduct their own research and understand both sides of such policies is imperative, as immigration continues to be polarizing.
As we see the impacts of unfair immigration enforcement in a turbulent period of time, we have to stand for fairness and uphold the value of democracy for everyone within the US. If you’re looking to be more involved, there are ways to engage civically, peacefully and in solidarity — all of these ways prove an overarching message: This fight isn’t done alone.
