Immigration Raids: Racial Slurs
Court Evidence Reveals Federal Agents Used Racial Slurs During Los Angeles Immigration Raids
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Federal immigration agents called Hispanic and Latino people racial slurs during raids in Los Angeles in 2025, according to court evidence. Body-camera footage and text messages show agents used the terms "wets" and "tonks" — both derogatory words targeting Hispanic individuals — while conducting enforcement operations in Southern California, according to KTVQ.
The evidence surfaced in an active lawsuit brought by a coalition of Southern California residents who allege immigration officials engaged in racial profiling. The ACLU is now asking a federal court to block immigration authorities from making stops based on race, arguing that race has become the primary factor driving who agents target, according to WTXL.
Body Cameras and Texts Capture Agents Using Slurs
Investigators reviewed body-camera recordings and private text messages from federal immigration agents working in the Los Angeles area. That evidence revealed agents used the word "wets" — a slur tied to the term "wetback" — and "tonks," another derogatory term, when referring to people they planned to detain, according to KPAX.
The slurs are deeply offensive terms with a long history of use against Mexican and Latino immigrants. Their appearance in official body-camera footage and agent text messages raises serious questions about conduct inside federal immigration enforcement agencies, according to News5Cleveland.
Lawsuit Alleges Agents Targeted People by Race
A coalition of Southern California residents filed the lawsuit at the center of this case. They claim federal immigration agents used race — not specific criminal suspicion — as the main reason to stop and detain people. The ACLU is representing the plaintiffs and has asked the court for a preliminary injunction, a legal order that would bar agents from conducting race-based stops, according to Turnto23.
The ACLU argues that the pattern of stops amounts to racial profiling — treating people as suspects simply because of how they look or what language they speak. The new slur evidence strengthens those claims by showing a cultural attitude inside some enforcement units, according to Denver7.
Judge Blocked Raids Temporarily, Supreme Court Intervened
Last July, a federal judge granted a temporary restraining order. That order blocked immigration officials from making arrests based on race while the lawsuit moved forward. It was a significant early win for the plaintiffs, according to WRTV.
However, the U.S. Supreme Court stepped in and stayed the restraining order, meaning it was put on hold. Immigration enforcement operations were allowed to continue while the legal battle plays out. The ACLU's new request for a preliminary injunction is the next major step in that fight, according to WCPO.
What Comes Next in the Racial Profiling Case
A preliminary injunction — if granted — would be stronger and longer-lasting than the temporary restraining order the Supreme Court already blocked. It would formally prohibit immigration agents from using race as a reason to stop or detain someone during raids, according to LEX18.
The case is being watched closely across the country. Civil rights advocates say the body-camera footage and text messages showing agents using racial slurs are exactly the kind of direct evidence courts need to establish that racial profiling is not just alleged — it is documented, according to WMAR2News.
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