Supreme Court ruling opens door to profiling of Americans: Mosqueda joins statement from national county officials

September 15, 2025

King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda on Monday signed on to the following statement from the National Association of Hispanic County Officials – Mosqueda is an active member of this constituency group – on the Supreme Court ruling in Noem v. Perdomo, which allows race-based policing by immigration officers:

“The National Association of Hispanic County Officials (NAHCO) is displeased and frightened by the Supreme Court decision in Noem v. Perdomo. The ruling in this case allows immigration officers to question people based on factors like race, language, or type of employment. The fourth amendment of the constitution is clear that the government may not stop and detain people without reasonable suspicion. Decades of court decisions have stated that ethnicity is not evidence of reasonable suspicion. This case stands as a setback to America’s civil rights, equality, and justice.

“The Supreme Court has opened the door for profiling of Americans. Latino communities are the second largest demographic in this nation and now can legally be treated as suspects and wrongfully detained just for looking Latino. This will expose the millions of Latinos throughout the nation to harassment, wrongful detention, anti-immigrant rhetoric, and fear in their everyday lives. Latino community members will face the risk of being profiled as suspects in public spaces because of key aspects of their identity such as what they look like and the language they speak.

“As an organization of local Latino leaders, we believe that everyone is entitled to due process, that the constitution should be upheld by the government, and that justice must be applied equally to all. America has been promised as a place where the law is fair and depends on evidence. This ruling by the nation’s highest court puts this long-standing American principle in jeopardy. NAHCO will continue to advocate for the safety, equality, and wellbeing of all Latinos.”