U.S. Attorney Tells Biden Judge to Kick Rocks, ICE Will Enforce Federal Law [WATCH]

A temporary restraining order issued by a federal judge in Los Angeles has sparked a sharp rebuke from the Trump administration, which announced that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in the Central District of California will continue unaffected by the ruling.

The 53-page order, issued late Friday by U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, restricts ICE agents from conducting enforcement stops in the region unless they possess “reasonable suspicion” that an individual is unlawfully present in the country.

The judge’s ruling specifically bars ICE from relying solely on a person’s race, ethnicity, language, location, or occupation when determining suspicion.

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The court cited Fourth Amendment protections in justifying the decision.

Frimpong, a Biden appointee, also mandated that ICE must now maintain detailed records of all stops and provide documentation on the rationale for each action.

The agency is further ordered to develop formal guidance on determining reasonable suspicion and to implement mandatory training programs for its agents.

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Despite the scope of the order, acting U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, Bill Essayli, stated that the decision would not change the way ICE agents operate in the field.

“We strongly disagree with the allegations in the lawsuit and maintain that our agents have never detained individuals without proper legal justification,” Essayli said in a statement released Saturday.

“Our federal agents will continue to enforce the law and abide by the U.S. Constitution.”

Statement in response to today’s ruling in Perdomo et al. v. Noem et al.

We strongly disagree with the allegations in the lawsuit and maintain that our agents have never detained individuals without proper legal justification. Our federal agents will continue to enforce the law…

— U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) July 12, 2025

Legal experts have noted the potential for the case to be appealed by the Trump administration, with the possibility that it could ultimately be reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The decision comes amid increased scrutiny of ICE operations in California and ongoing tensions between federal immigration enforcement and state and local officials.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who has faced warnings from the Trump administration regarding her efforts to interfere with federal enforcement activities, praised the court’s decision.

“Today, the Court ruled in favor of the United States Constitution, of American values and decency — this is an important step toward restoring safety, security and defending the rights of all Angelenos,” Bass said in a statement.

“Los Angeles has been under assault by the Trump Administration as masked men grab people off the street, chase working people through parking lots and march through children’s summer camps,” she added.

“We went to court against the administration because we will never accept these outrageous and un-American acts as normal.”

L.A. has been under assault as masked men snatch people off the street and chase people through parking lots and summer camps.

But today, the Court ruled in favor of the United States Constitution.

This is a win for Los Angeles and it is a win for cities all across the nation. pic.twitter.com/MrCkwQFb13

— Mayor Karen Bass (@MayorOfLA) July 12, 2025

In an interview with Fox News, Essayli responded directly to Bass and accused California politicians of fostering an environment of hostility toward federal agents.

He referenced several recent incidents, including an attack this week in Ventura County, where a man fired a handgun at federal agents, and a separate case in North Texas where 11 individuals were indicted in connection with an ambush on an ICE facility.

“You have the politicians in California who are being openly hostile to the federal government,” Essayli said.

“We are doing our job. We are enforcing federal immigration laws as written by Congress. If Karen Bass didn’t like the law, she should have changed it when she was in Congress.”

“But instead what she’s doing is she’s signaling to the public that it’s okay to stand up to federal agents, to obstruct them, to impede them, and yes, in some cases, to attack them,” he continued.

“So we are not going to be dissuaded. This is why the military is here. It’s so critical that we have the military protecting our agents. And to Ms. Bass, we will not be intimidated and we will not be deterred from accomplishing our mission.”

The restraining order is expected to be challenged in the coming days, as federal authorities prepare for what may be a lengthy legal fight over the scope of immigration enforcement in one of the country’s most populous regions.

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