Justices uphold 'roving patrols' by feds in L.A.

Immigration agents may question people based on language, race or their work.

- DAVID G. SAVAGE AND SONJA SHARP

CARLIN STIEHL Los Angeles Times THE JUSTICES' order Monday gives agents broad authority to stop people suspected of being here illegally. Above, federal agents in L.A.

The Supreme Court ruled Monday for the Trump administration and agreed U.S. immigration agents may stop and detain anyone they suspect is in the U.S. illegally based on little more than their working at a car wash, speaking Spanish or having brown skin.

In a 6-3 vote, the justices granted an emergency appeal and lifted a Los Angeles judge's order that barred "roving patrols" from snatching people off Southern California streets based on how they look, what language they speak, what work they do or where they happen to be.

The decision is a significant victory for President Trump, clearing the way for his oft-promised "largest Mass Deportation Operation" in American history.

The court's conservatives issued a brief, unsigned order that freezes the district judge's restraining order indefinitely and frees immigration agents from it. As a practical matter, it gives immigration agents broad authority to stop people who they think may be here illegally.

Although Monday's order is not a final ruling, it strongly signals the Supreme Court will not uphold strict limits on the authority of immigration agents to stop people for questioning.

The Supreme Court has been sharply criticized in recent weeks for handing down orders with no explanation. Perhaps for that reason, Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh wrote a 10-page opinion to explain the decision.

He said federal law says "immigration officers 'may briefly detain' an individual 'for questioning' if they have 'a reasonable suspicion, based on specific articulable facts, that the person being questioned ... is an alien illegally in the United States."