13 Southern California Cities Join Federal Lawsuit Challenging Immigration Raids

Thirteen additional Southern California cities have joined a federal lawsuit led by Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto and Los Angeles County challenging the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement tactics. The lawsuit alleges that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have conducted unconstitutional stops, raids, and arrests without reasonable suspicion or probable cause, often targeting individuals based on race, language, or workplace. The case, originally filed by the ACLU, Public Counsel, and other civil rights groups, seeks to halt these practices and ensure detainees legal representation. A federal judge has already issued restraining orders limiting such raids, and a three-judge panel upheld these rulings, though the Trump administration has appealed to the Supreme Court. Local officials emphasized the negative impacts of the raids on community trust, access to essential services, and local economies, with mayors expressing commitment to protecting civil rights and due process. The expanding coalition now includes cities such as Pasadena, Santa Monica, Culver City, Long Beach, Santa Barbara, Anaheim, and others, representing multiple counties across Southern California.