ICE agents used racial slurs to refer to Latinos, videos and texts appear to show

Key Points:

• Federal immigration agents in Los Angeles were recorded using racial slurs and derogatory terms to refer to Latinos during enforcement operations last summer, according to body camera footage and text messages released by the ACLU of Southern California.
• The ACLU filed a motion for a preliminary injunction to stop what it describes as a pattern of race-based profiling by federal agents under the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.
• The Department of Homeland Security declined to comment on whether the use of slurs violates policy, instead emphasizing its focus on protecting Americans and criticizing media coverage.
• The lawsuit, filed on behalf of U.S. citizens and others stopped or detained by immigration agents, led to a temporary restraining order against race-based stops, which was later lifted by the Supreme Court.
• ACLU officials condemned the agents' conduct as illegal racial profiling, highlighting evidence from government records that confirm widespread violations and unjustified detentions based on skin color.