Which U.S. Supreme Court case is a classic example of selective enforcement intended to discriminate?

Yick Wo v. Hopkins is a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that exemplifies the concept of selective enforcement intended to discriminate. The case involved a San Francisco ordinance that required laundry businesses to obtain a permit to operate, which was applied in a manner that predominantly affected Chinese immigrants. Although the ordinance was ostensibly neutral, in practice, it was enforced in a discriminatory manner, as nearly all of the permits were granted to non-Chinese applicants while Chinese-owned laundries were routinely denied.

The Supreme Court ultimately ruled that the enforcement of the law constituted a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The court recognized that laws, while appearing just on their face, can still be discriminatory when applied in a selective manner that targets specific groups. This case established a significant precedent for addressing discriminatory practices in law enforcement and underscored the importance of equal protection under the law for all individuals, regardless of race or ethnicity.