National Hispanic Leadership Agenda Responds to Supreme Court Case Noem v. Perdomo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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National Hispanic Leadership Agenda Responds to Supreme Court Case Noem v. Perdomo

Washington, D.C. (September 10th, 2025) - Today, the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda, a coalition of national Latino civil rights and advocacy leaders and groups, released the following statement:

“This decision confirms what many of us feared: the occupation of American cities was never about tackling crime, it was about targeting Latinos. The Supreme Court sends mixed messages when it says race and ethnicity cannot be considered in college admissions but can be central to being detained by law enforcement. Not too long ago, Spanish-speaking, hard-working Latinos were regarded as the essential workers during the pandemic who built back our economy in the darkest moments. These same workers are now being demonized and arrested, with approval from our highest court,” said Chair of NHLA, Amy Hinojosa. “Sanctioned xenophobia does not make anyone safer. We all deserve to live in safe communities, but effective law enforcement is based on facts and evidence, not on stereotyping and racial profiling. As the leading coalition of Latino civil rights and advocacy leaders, we are going to continue to push back, fight, and defend our communities so that all Latinos have the right to live and work with dignity and without fear.”
 

"LULAC denounces this backroom decision that endangers millions of Latinos and other people of color across our country," said Roman Palomares, LULAC National President and Board Chairman. "We will not be intimidated by a politicized Supreme Court. Instead, we are doubling down coast to coast and shore to shore, equipping our communities with knowledge to navigate an increasingly hostile campaign. For months, since the Trump administration declared open season on undocumented immigrants, LULAC has been preparing, and now we are ramping up even more to ensure that our families are informed and empowered."
 

“The appalling Supreme Court decision to lift restrictions on broad and circumstantially motivated immigration sweeps in Los Angeles opens the door to widespread racial profiling of Latinos and others in that city and across the country. The government’s aggressive immigration enforcement goals is greater than the harm to the thousands of people arrested, detained, harassed and intimidated because of their appearance, where they happen to be, the language they are speaking or what their job is,” said Lourdes M. Rosado, President and General Counsel for LatinoJustice PRLDEF.  “This decision not only clears a path for continuing racial profiling, harassment and abuse of millions under the guise of fulfilling Trump’s promised mass deportation campaign but also weakens core Fourth Amendment constitutional protections barring unreasonable searches and seizures. LatinoJustice PRLDEF promises we will continue to push against bad actors trying to tear our rights away.”

"The Supreme Court is sending us a clear message with this decision: the America they value and protect does not include Latinos, nearly 20 percent of the country’s population. But they are deeply mistaken, because this country was built by and on the backs of Latinos. The land this country claims is our homeland. We will not be bullied or harassed away from our own home; we will not go quietly into the shadows ashamed." said Brenda Victoria Castillo, President and CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition. "We are proud of who we are, the languages we speak, the jobs we do, and the culture we add to the mosaic of American identity. In fact, as a community, Latinos are the keepers of the American Dream, and –despite how it treats us – we deeply love this country. In our cultures, when you love something, you fight for it with passion. That's what we're going to do, because there is no America without Latinos."

Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) “This ruling is not just an attack on Latino communities – it is an attack on America’s workers. From the fields to the factories, from construction sites to hospitals, Latinos have always been on the frontline of building this country’s prosperity. When the Supreme Court gives a green light to racial profiling, mass detentions, and deportations, it tells the very workers who keep this nation running that their labor is welcome, but their humanity is disposable. LCLAA stands united in declaring: an injury to one is an injury to all. No immigrant worker should be criminalized for the color of their skin, the language they speak, or the industry where they work.”

"Mi Familia Vota is extremely disappointed in the ruling by the Supreme Court, and its total lack of explanation for allowing roving raids to continue that are clearly targeting people based on what they look like, how they sound, and that a Federal District Judge had found likely violated the Constitution. Our families are under attack, and as Justice Sonia Sotomayor noted in her dissent, no one should ‘have to live in a country where the Government can seize anyone who looks Latino, speaks Spanish, and appears to work a low wage job.’ Said Hector Sanchez Barba, President and CEO, Mi Familia Vota. “It’s telling that the majority could offer no explanation for this shameful decision that runs clearly against precedent, and that defies the notion of Constitutional protections against unreasonable search and seizure outlined in the Fourth Amendment. Hispanic or not, people have a right to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against such intrusions. Mi Familia Vota is fighting for a future where Latino voices shape and advance policies that promote the health, safety, and prosperity of diverse communities across the country, and we will continue to challenge these attacks on our community."
 

"The order empowers federal immigration officials t carry out sweeping enforcement in which dragnet operations target communities based on the language they speak, the places they work, and the color of their skin. said Frankie Miranda, President and CEO, Hispanic Federation. The actions of ICE under this administration will only exacerbate fear and mistrust within communities across the nation. In the wake of this SCOTUS order, it is essential that Congress stand firm in defending our civil rights and pass legislation to end racially discriminatory enforcement tactics."

“This latest decision from the Supreme Court which opens the floodgates for millions of Latines to be targeted and harassed by ICE simply because of how we look or what language we speak is outrageous. Our vision of reproductive justice for all includes ensuring that all people have bodily autonomy and the liberty to live freely and make the best choices for themselves and their families. At a time of unprecedented fear and uncertainty for Latine communities, and attacks on our bodily autonomy and basic freedoms, this decision will continue to push us into fear, and keep us from living safely and raising our families with dignity. We cannot and will not allow this to happen, and are determined to do what we can to protect our communities and the promise of reproductive justice.” Lupe M. Rodriguez, Executive Director, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice 

According to John Villamil, President of ASPIRA, the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Noem and Perdomo case is inconsistent with the tenets of the U.S. Constitution and effectively legitimizes the profiling of Latinos in our society. Latinos, however, are not only integral to the fabric of this nation—they are a driving force in the U.S. economy. As of 2023, Latinos represented nearly 20% of the U.S. population and accounted for more than 25% of labor force growth over the past decade (U.S. Department of the Treasury, 2023). Latino-owned businesses rank among the fastest-growing in the country, generating hundreds of billions in revenue and creating millions of jobs (Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative, 2022). These contributions underscore the urgent need for inclusive policies that respect our constitutional principles and fully support the Latino community’s vital role in America’s prosperity.”

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About the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA)

The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA) is a coalition of 46 prominent Latino organizations that provide the Hispanic community with greater visibility and a clearer, stronger influence in our country’s affairs. Founded in 1991, NHLA brings together Hispanic leaders to establish policy priorities that address and raise public awareness of the major issues affecting the Latino community and the nation as a whole. 

Visit https://nationalhispanicleadership.org/ for more information, and follow us on Facebook, X, and YouTube. 

The policy positions of NHLA do not reflect the views of every member organization, but reflect the decisions of NHLA as a whole.