A federal lawsuit filed by immigrant advocacy groups in July accuses the Trump administration and its immigration enforcement agencies like ICE of engaging in systemic racial profiling during raids and detentions targeting individuals of color, primarily those perceived as immigrants.
This lawsuit alleges that individuals with brown skin were being targeted and apprehended without reasonable suspicion or probable cause, violating their constitutional rights, especially the Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.
A U.S. District Judge issued a temporary restraining order restricting federal immigration agents from using factors like apparent race or ethnicity as the sole basis for detention, and the order was upheld by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Aug. 1. The Trump administration has appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing the restrictions hinder their ability to enforce immigration laws. The administration maintains that immigration officers target individuals based on their illegal presence in the U.S., not their skin color or race.
To get some local context on this issue, WGCU’s Sandra Viktorova talked with South Florida immigration attorney, Amanda Velazquez. She represents several clients who have been detained in Key West while going about their daily lives, who had documents that allow them to be in the country while awaiting hearings, despite having no criminal record. Their conversation was recorded on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
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