Los Angeles Fights Back: City Joins Major Lawsuit Over Unconstitutional Immigration Raids

Los Angeles Joins Lawsuit Against Trump’s Immigration Crackdown, Citing Constitutional Violations

In a major legal move, the City of Los Angeles has announced it will join a sweeping lawsuit against the Trump administration’s recent immigration enforcement efforts, which city leaders say are sowing fear and chaos in immigrant communities.

City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto made the announcement Tuesday, stating:

"The federal government has concentrated thousands of armed immigration agents, many of whom lack visible identification, and military troops in our communities, conducting unconstitutional raids, roundups and anonymous detentions."

The lawsuit — filed in partnership with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) — accuses federal officials of violating civil rights through warrantless arrests, masked detentions without due process, and the alleged use of a “dungeonlike” holding facility for detainees.

Mayor Karen Bass, a vocal critic of the federal operation, denounced what she described as a power grab:

"I believe this is an experiment. LA is a petri dish, and they are essentially testing how far the American public will tolerate the federal seizure of state and local authority."

Bass also addressed how the operations are affecting families and the city’s economy:

"It is traumatizing communities, hurting businesses, and is entirely political — it’s not about keeping anyone safe."

The mayor also rejected reports of widespread unrest, saying:

"The ‘riots’ they referred to never happened. There were isolated incidents of vandalism, but the portrayal on national media was exaggerated and misleading."

Critics argue that the federal crackdown has more to do with projecting political strength than enforcing the law, especially amid a tense election year. Civil rights advocates warn that using anonymous or militarized agents in urban neighborhoods raises serious concerns about transparency, due process, and the erosion of constitutional protections.

The lawsuit is expected to draw national attention as other cities may consider joining in what could become a defining legal battle over the limits of federal power in immigration enforcement.