Judge rules Border Patrol illegally arrested LA immigrants without warrants or flight-risk checks
Sep 17, 2026·Location: Los Angeles, CA

U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong ruled that Border Patrol agents likely violated federal law by conducting warrantless arrests during 2025 immigration raids in Los Angeles without first assessing whether individuals posed a flight risk. Court records and body camera footage showed agents ignored factors like community ties, employment, and family, and in some cases contradicted their own written arrest justifications. Examples include a car wash worker identified as A.T., a lawful permanent resident who was handcuffed and detained despite his status, and a worker identified as E.G.G., whose bodycam footage showed him remaining in place despite agents' claims he fled. Another man, identified as Tijerino-Garmendia, was arrested during a raid at a Home Depot parking lot. The ruling, arising from an ACLU-led lawsuit against DHS, requires agents to document specific facts supporting flight-risk determinations before making warrantless arrests, making Los Angeles the fifth jurisdiction nationally where courts have restricted the practice.
Timeline
Sources
- Federal judge poised to restrict immigration arrest tactics in Los Angeles raids
CalMatters·Aug 13, 2026·archived copy
- Federal Judge Moves to Limit Immigration Detention Tactics Used in Los Angeles Raids
hsjchronicle.com·Aug 15, 2026·archived copy
- Judge: Immigration agents must stop the way they’re conducting warrantless arrests
CalMatters·Sep 17, 2026
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