Washington, D.C. – The CHC submitted a formal letter urging an immediate investigation into the impacts of the Supreme Court’s decision in Noem v. Vasquez Perdomo on Latinos. The high court’s ruling allows federal agents to continue their practice of warrantless stops and detention of individuals simply based on factors like apparent ethnicity, language, or occupation.
On Friday, CHC staff presented the formal letter during their testimony before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. They warned that this ruling undermines Fourth Amendment protections, invites racial profiling, and puts millions of Latino residents at risk of unlawful enforcement.
“This ruling sets a deeply troubling precedent,” said CHC Chair Rep. Adriano Espaillat. “Latino communities should not be subjected to arbitrary stops based on how they look or sound. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights must act swiftly to assess the damage and safeguard our hard-fought rights.”
The CHC calls on the Commission to:
- Investigate the ruling’s impact on Latino communities
- Gather testimony from affected individuals and community leaders
- Issue a public report with recommendations for federal and legislative action
- Recommend congressional oversight to prevent misuse or expansion of the decision
Civil rights organizations, including the ACLU, Latino Victory Fund, and LatinoJustice, echoed these concerns, warning the decision encourages racial profiling and rolls back decades of legal progress.
The letter was signed by CHC Chair Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Whip Rep. Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29), Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Joaquin Castro (TX-20), and Freshman Representative Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr. (CA-31).
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About the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC)
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) is 43 members strong. The CHC serves as a forum for the Hispanic Members of Congress to coalesce around a collective legislative agenda. The Caucus is dedicated to voicing and advancing, through the legislative process, issues affecting Hispanics in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. For more information, please visit chc.house.gov.
