A federal judge in Los Angeles has declared unconstitutional the tactic used by federal immigration agents in Southern California to arrest people in their homes without a judicial warrant.

The ruling, issued Wednesday against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), targets the agency’s “knock and talk” practices, where agents allegedly misrepresent themselves as police to gain entry.

ICE did not immediately comment on the decision.

Immigrant advocacy groups praised the ruling, emphasizing the basic human right for immigrants to feel safe in their homes, the Los Angeles Times has reported.

Lizbeth Abeln, interim director at the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, called the decision a positive step towards justice despite the past harm caused by ICE.

The ruling affects ICE’s Los Angeles field office, covering several counties including Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside.

Written by B.C. Begley