Candidates for a 25th Judicial District judge vacancy will be interviewed on Sept. 8 at the Finney County Courthouse. Gavel
Los Angeles, California – A federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to immediately halt indiscriminate immigration stops and arrests in seven California counties, including Los Angeles, following a wave of legal challenges and public outcry over the administration’s rapidly escalating enforcement tactics.
The ruling came just hours after President Donald Trump declared he had granted federal immigration agents “total authorization” to respond with force during raids, a declaration that followed violent clashes between protesters and law enforcement during a high-profile operation at a cannabis farm in Ventura County.
The lawsuit that prompted Friday’s ruling was filed earlier this month by immigrant advocacy organizations. It accuses the administration of systematically targeting brown-skinned residents in Southern California, deploying tactics that plaintiffs say violate constitutional protections against racial profiling, warrantless searches, and denial of legal counsel. The suit includes five plaintiffs—three undocumented immigrants who were detained and two U.S. citizens, one of whom was reportedly held by federal agents despite showing valid identification.
In issuing the injunction, the judge called the allegations serious and credible enough to warrant immediate intervention, temporarily blocking further raids and arrests in Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, and Kern counties. The court will hear arguments on the broader constitutionality of the administration’s tactics in the coming weeks.
While the legal ruling was a win for immigrant rights groups, it landed in the middle of one of the most turbulent weeks of immigration enforcement in recent California history.
On Thursday, ICE agents, backed by heavily armed personnel and tactical vehicles, raided two licensed cannabis farms operated by Glass House Farms in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. The stated goal was to execute criminal search warrants, but the operation quickly devolved into chaos.
Protesters clashed with federal agents. Tear gas was fired. One farmworker, Jaime Alanis, reportedly fell 30 feet during the raid and later died from his injuries. A protester was seen on camera firing what appeared to be a handgun at federal officers before fleeing. Authorities say four U.S. citizens were arrested for assault or resistance, and a $50,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the shooter.
The Department of Homeland Security reported that ten undocumented minors—including eight unaccompanied children—were found at the site. A federal investigation into possible child labor violations and human trafficking is now underway. Glass House Farms has denied knowingly employing minors and says it is cooperating fully with investigators.
Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the raid’s tactics, particularly the use of tear gas in the presence of children, calling it “inhumane.” Representative Salud Carbajal, who attempted to observe the operation in person, said he was blocked from the scene by federal agents.
The chaos and the subsequent legal ruling underscore a deepening conflict between California officials and the Trump administration, as the president continues to ramp up efforts to carry out what he has called the largest mass deportation in American history. Over 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines have already been deployed across the state.
The administration’s approach to enforcement has shifted sharply in recent weeks, particularly in the agricultural sector. After initially signaling a pause in targeting farmworkers, the White House reversed course. The result has left both workers and employers in a state of uncertainty—and fear. Nearly half of all U.S. farmworkers are believed to be undocumented, making any aggressive enforcement campaign a direct threat not only to individual families but to the nation’s food supply.
For immigrant communities in Southern California, the message has been clear and chilling. But Friday’s court order suggests that, at least for now, there are limits to how far the federal government can go in pursuit of its goals.
