Los Angeles, 8 Cities Join Federal Lawsuit Challenging ICE Raids

Los Angeles City, Los Angeles County, and seven other Southern California cities have joined a federal civil rights lawsuit challenging Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations that have targeted immigrant communities with warrantless arrests and raids. The lawsuit, originally filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other civil rights groups, alleges that these federal immigration raids violate Constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures and rely on racial profiling. City and county officials criticize the tactics used, including detaining individuals without probable cause and the use of disproportionate force, causing widespread fear and financial strain on local governments. The lawsuit names members of the Trump administration, including Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and has drawn support from California Attorney General Rob Bonta and multiple local leaders. Federal officials deny allegations of targeting individuals based on ethnicity, calling such claims false and inflammatory. Local leaders emphasize the importance of seeking judicial relief to prevent these immigration enforcement actions from becoming a continuing practice.