The Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for federal agents to conduct sweeping immigration operations for now in Los Angeles, the latest victory for President Donald Trump's administration at the high court.

The conservative majority lifted a restraining order from a judge who found that roving patrols were conducting indiscriminate stops in and around LA. The order had barred immigration agents from stopping people solely based on their race, language, job or location.

The court's 6-3 decision followed a pattern of at least temporarily allowing some of the Republican administration's harshest policies, while leaving room for the possibility of a different outcome after the legal case plays out fully. The net effect, meanwhile, has Trump pushing ahead in many of the areas he considers most critical.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh says the lower-court judge went too far in restricting how agents can carry out brief stops for questioning.

In a dissenting opinion, Justice Sonia Sotomayor says people were thrown to the ground and handcuffed because of their looks and accents.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta said he found Kavanaugh’s rationale for lifting the stay “disturbing.” He pointed out the Supreme Court recently ruled that race can’t be considered in college admissions.

“They prevent the use of race (in college admissions) to tackle discrimination but allow the use of race to potentially discriminate,” Bonta said.