In brief
In a significant ruling, Judge Maame E. Frimpong determined that the Trump administration is infringing on the constitutional rights of detained immigrants by restricting their access to attorneys at a Los Angeles facility. The ruling, stemming from a lawsuit by immigrant advocacy groups, mandates the government to ensure free and confidential attorney visits, highlighting ongoing concerns regarding racial profiling and the treatment of detainees. The judge noted evidence that access barriers continue to persist.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — In a ruling issued on Friday, a federal judge declared that the Trump administration continues to violate the constitutional rights of detained immigrants by unduly limiting their access to legal representation at a detention facility in Los Angeles. Judge Maame E. Frimpong's order mandates the government to rectify these restrictions immediately.
This legal challenge began back in July when immigrant advocacy organizations filed a lawsuit, alleging that the administration's actions were part of a systematic attack targeting individuals based on their race in Southern California. The suit highlighted cases of warrantless arrests, racial profiling, and the impediment of access to legal counsel within the holding facility located in downtown LA.
The judge's ruling expands on a provisional order from July that granted detainees the right to make free confidential communications with their lawyers via phone. Judge Frimpong called attention to the government's ongoing failure to completely comply with court-ordered visitation requirements. These requirements include ensuring that the detention facility remains accessible to attorneys seven days a week for a minimum of eight hours on weekdays and four hours on weekends and holidays.
Although the government claims to have complied with these visiting hours, they were also obligated to inform plaintiffs of any facility closures within four hours, with closures not extending beyond what is 'reasonably necessary.' The judge reported that the evidence presented by the plaintiffs suggested that such notifications were infrequent or overlooked, which obstructed the legal rights of detainees.
Mark Rosenbaum, an attorney with Public Counsel, noted that lawyers still struggle to meet with clients privately, often due to the presence of guards during meetings—preventing necessary confidentiality. Instances of attorneys not being notified about facility closures until well after they occurred have further complicated access. In some cases, detainees were moved without notice to other facilities where attorney visits were restricted altogether.
“By granting this preliminary injunction, the judge made clear that the government cannot lock people up and cut them off from their lawyers,” Rosenbaum said in a statement following the ruling.
