Federal Appeals Court Reviews Immigration Arrest Quota in Wake of Pasadena ICE Raids

A federal appeals court panel on Monday heard arguments in the Trump administration’s bid to reinstate immigration patrols across Southern California, including recent controversial detentions made in Pasadena, but issued no immediate ruling.

The hearing before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco comes amid heightened concern in Pasadena, where U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents reportedly conducted at least three documented raids in Pasadena during June and July 2025, resulting in a minimum of 12 confirmed detentions.

The first incident, in which agents detained six individuals at a bus stop near Madison Elementary School on June 18, was captured on video and widely circulated online. The action prompted vigils and protests throughout the city, with local leaders and residents expressing alarm over what they described as indiscriminate enforcement tactics.

The court is reviewing a temporary restraining order issued July 14 by U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, who found that roving immigration patrols were “illegally conducted without reasonable suspicion.”

Federal attorneys argued the stops were legal and based on probable cause, but the three-judge panel appeared skeptical, particularly regarding a reported White House directive requiring ICE agents to make 3,000 arrests per day.

Judge Ronald Gould repeatedly pressed Department of Justice attorney Jacob Roth to clarify the origin of the alleged arrest quota. Roth denied knowledge of any formal policy, suggesting it may have stemmed from a media report. Gould ordered Roth to investigate and submit findings to the court.

The directive, reportedly issued in May by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, preceded a seres of month-long immigration sweeps that included Pasadena, where ICE agents were seen at multiple hotels and videotaped at a number of public locations.

The appeal stems from a class-action lawsuit filed July 2 in Los Angeles federal court by Southland residents, advocacy groups, and legal service providers. The suit alleges the Department of Homeland Security conducted unlawful arrests and detentions to meet arbitrary quotas, violating constitutional protections.

Mohammad Tajsar, staff attorney at the ACLU of Southern California, has argued that the administration’s tactics lacked case-by-case analysis and probable cause. He stated that the government had directed immigration agents “with a wink and a nod … to go out there and snatch” people up.

“It appears they are randomly selecting Home Depots where people are standing looking for jobs,” Judge Marsha Berzon remarked during the hearing, which was streamed live on the 9th Circuit website. She also noted, “There is a non-trivial number of people who are saying this is happening.”

The panel did not indicate when a decision would be issued. Judge Frimpong has scheduled a hearing in the case for Sept. 24. Meanwhile, Pasadena officials continue to monitor federal activity and urge residents to remain informed and peaceful amid ongoing uncertainty.