OCA Denounces Supreme Court Ruling Allowing Roving Immigration Patrols, USCIS Expansion of Armed Agents
For Immediate Release
September 10, 2025
Media Contact:
Socheata Sun, Senior Communications Associate
socheata.sun@ocanational.org
Washington, D.C. — OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates strongly condemns the Supreme Court decision authorizing immigration patrols, and the USCIS policy allowing plainclothes immigration agents to carry guns and make arrests.
In their ruling, the Supreme Court gave Customs and Border Protection (CBP) expanded power to conduct “roving patrols” and stop people within 100 miles of a U.S. border without clear evidence of wrongdoing. By lowering the standard for detention, the Court has effectively sanctioned law enforcement to detain individuals based on perceived race, accent, or appearance without probable cause.
“The ruling further normalizes the harassment of immigrants and endangers all communities of color,” said Thu Nguyen, Executive Director of OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates. “We know the consequences of racial profiling. In 1982, Vincent Chin, a Chinese American man on the eve of his wedding, was beaten to death because private citizens thought he ‘looked’ Japanese. Today, the Supreme Court is enshrining that same logic into law, empowering the government to target people based on how they look, sound, or where they live. This is unconstitutional and inhumane.”
Last week, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) finalized a rule expanding the authority of its special agents to carry firearms and execute arrests. Plainclothes immigration officers are now authorized to exercise broader law enforcement powers, including in sensitive spaces such as naturalization ceremonies.
“These decisions are part of a dangerous pattern of policies that criminalize the Latino, Black, and communities of color,” continued Nguyen. “Authorizing armed, plainclothes agents to patrol community spaces threatens the very people who come to USCIS in good faith to pursue the American Dream.”
OCA calls on Congress to take immediate action to reverse these policies and protect immigrant communities from racial profiling and harassment. OCA remains steadfast in its commitment to defending the rights and dignity of all Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and communities of color.
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About OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates
Founded in 1973, OCA–Asian Pacific American Advocates is a national, member-driven social justice organization of community advocates dedicated to advancing the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs). Learn more about our work at ocanational.org/about.