Groups sue to stop Trump administration from using what they call
unconstitutional tactics in raids
[July 03, 2025]
By JAIMIE DING and CHRISTOPHER WEBER
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal lawsuit filed Wednesday accuses President
Donald Trump's administration of systematically targeting brown-skinned
people in Southern California during an ongoingimmigration crackdown
that has put the region “under siege.”
The court filing by Los Angeles immigrant advocacy groups in U.S.
District Court seeks a temporary restraining order to block the
administration from using what they call “unconstitutional” tactics they
say include detaining someone based on their race, warrantless arrests,
and denying people access to attorneys.
Federal agents have violently and indiscriminately arrested people
without probable cause while carrying out “immigration raids flooding
street corners, bus stops, parking lots, agricultural sites, day laborer
corners," the complaint said.
The complaint centers around three detained immigrants, several
immigrant rights groups and two U.S. citizens, one who was held despite
showing agents his identification.
A video taken by a friend June 13 shows Los Angeles resident Brian
Gavidia being pushed up against a fence by federal agents as he yells,
“I was born here in the states, East LA bro!”
“Armed, masked goons in unmarked cars have descended in our community
and have stopped and rounded people up from all walks of life, often at
gunpoint and without any justification,” said Mohammad Tajsar, an
attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California.
In addition, the complaint claims that those arrested are held in
“dungeon-like” conditions without access to lawyers, pressuring them to
sign voluntary departures papers without informing them of their rights.
Families of detainees have relayed reports of horrific conditions inside
a detention facility in downtown LA, including inmates who are so
thirsty that they have been drinking from the toilets, people sleeping
on the ground, and meals consisting of only bags of chips and cookies.
The lawsuit comes days after the Trump administration sued Los Angeles
to overturn what it called an illegal sanctuary city law.
Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security, said in an email that “any claims that individuals
have been ‘targeted’ by law enforcement because of their skin color are
disgusting and categorically FALSE.”
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Family members demand the return of immigrant Emma de Paz, who was
detained by ICE agents outside a Hollywood Home Depot on June 19, at
the "Reclaim Our Street" event to oppose ongoing ICE immigration
raids at Mariachi Plaza in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los
Angeles, Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
McLaughlin said “enforcement operations are highly targeted, and
officers do their due diligence" before making arrests.
“All detainees are provided with proper meals, medical treatment,
and have opportunities to communicate with lawyers and their family
members,” she said.
Attorneys say they hope to argue the issue in front of a judge
within the next few days and obtain a restraining order that would
apply to seven counties across Southern California.
Emmanuel Karim, the manager of a car wash in southern Los Angeles
County, said at a news conference announcing the lawsuit that he
thought they were being robbed when masked federal agents in
unmarked vehicles first surrounded his business June 22.
“We have these signs that say, ‘This is a private area, employees
only,’ especially in the tunnel, because there is dangerous
machinery in there,” Karim said. “They started running through the
tunnel, and my employees got scared.”
At no point did they identify themselves or answer Karim when he
asked what they were doing, he said. They detained two of his
workers, Karim said.
Tens of thousands of people participated in recent rallies over
immigration raids and the subsequent deployment of the National
Guard and Marines. Los Angeles prosecutors have charged more than 40
people in connection with protest-related violence and vandalism.
Among the latest people charged were a man and woman accused of
assaulting police horses and a 17-year-old boy who faces felony
counts, including attempted murder and assault against an officer.
At least 14 people are facing separate federal charges on
allegations of assaulting police officers with cinder blocks and
Molotov cocktails, and conspiracy to impede arrests.
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