John
Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur.
A federal judge in California has sharply limited the authority of U.S. Border Patrol agents in the state’s Eastern District, barring them from arresting individuals suspected of being in the country illegally without a warrant—unless they have a specific reason to believe the person might flee before a warrant can be obtained.
In a ruling issued Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston said Border Patrol agents must also have reasonable suspicion to stop individuals and cannot coerce them into “voluntary departure” unless the person is informed of their rights and consents to leave.
The ruling comes in response to the January immigration enforcement campaign known as “Operation Return to Sender,” during which dozens of individuals—many of them farmworkers or day laborers—were detained.
Reporting by the Associated Press contributed to this story.
This is a developing news story and will be updated as more information is available.
Associated Press
