Federal judge holds DHS in contempt over Los Angeles immigration sweeps

A federal judge held the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in contempt following the agency’s delay in complying with an order to release digital copies of communication on the cellphones of more than 800 immigration agents, according to an order unsealed Tuesday.

District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, an appointee of former President Biden, ordered DHS to provide imaging from agents’ personal cellphones in January following several immigration raids in Los Angeles last year.

In the order, plaintiffs alleged the cellphone communications had evidence to support racial profiling allegations against immigration officers.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Public Counsel and other immigration advocacy groups also accused agents of using racial slurs during interactions and argued that access to cellphone data would provide evidence to support their claims.

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