ICE Arrests Face New Legal Challenges in California and Georgia

A judge restricted certain warrantless immigration arrests in Southern California, while hundreds of South Korean workers prepare claims over a raid in Georgia.

• Why it matters: The cases challenge practices used during the immigration crackdown, although they raise different legal issues.

California Limits Certain Warrantless ICE Arrests

Los Angeles has been put to the test by this administration time and time again, and we have stood firm. A federal judge has once again ruled in favor of Los Angeles and taken steps to limit the ways in which federal immigration agents can make arrests without a court order in Southern California.

For over a year, families in our city have lived in fear of going to work, taking a walk down the street, or leaving their homes without knowing if they will return. #karenbass #mayorofLA

— Mayor Karen Bass (@MayorOfLA) September 17, 2026

Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong ordered agents not to make certain civil immigration arrests without a warrant unless they first assess whether the person is likely to escape before a warrant can be obtained.

The measure applies to the Central District of California, which includes Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties.

• The fact: At least 89 of 113 arrest records analyzed, nearly 80%, lacked an individualized flight-risk assessment or relied mainly on generic language.

The judge also certified a class-action lawsuit covering individuals arrested since June 6, 2025, under the conditions challenged by the plaintiffs.

Federal law allows certain immigration arrests without a warrant when there is probable cause regarding immigration status and reason to believe the person is likely to escape before a warrant can be obtained.

The decision requires agents to consider individual circumstances and document specific facts supporting that risk before making a warrantless arrest.

Georgia Challenges ICE Arrests on Another Legal Front

In Georgia, more than 300 South Korean workers have initiated legal steps over the September 4, 2025, raid at the Hyundai-LG complex.

The operation resulted in 475 people being detained, most of them South Korean. Authorities said at the time that they were investigating alleged unlawful employment practices and other possible federal violations.

The complaints: Workers allege unlawful detention, poor conditions, lost wages, confiscation of belongings, and psychological harm.

EFE also reported allegations of overcrowding, unsanitary facilities, and the signing of documents whose contents some workers said they did not understand.

The allegations are part of the workers’ claims and do not constitute judicial findings about the agencies’ actions.

The Two ICE Cases Challenge Different Practices

California is primarily examining when agents can make civil immigration arrests without a warrant and what individualized assessment they must conduct before detaining someone.

Georgia is following a different route: workers are seeking compensation for alleged irregularities and damages resulting from an immigration operation carried out last year.

• The difference: The California ruling already imposes preliminary restrictions; in Georgia, workers still need to complete administrative claims before a potential federal lawsuit.

In California, the decision does not definitively resolve whether the government maintains an illegal policy. That issue will continue to be litigated.

In Georgia, lawyers are seeking to complete claims before nine federal agencies before the end of 2026. After that, the path to federal court could open.

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SOURCE: EFE / Twitter Mayor LA