What to Know
- Immigrant advocates filed a lawsuit in early July that accuses “unconstitutional” tactics during immigration enforcement operations in Los Angeles.
- A judge is expected to issue a ruling Friday in the lawsuit, which seeks a temporary restraining order to block the administration from using the disputed tactics.
- Attorneys with Public Counsel and the American Civil Liberties Union said the lawsuit is intended to ensure people detained are given their legal right to meet with a lawyer.
- The lawsuit also seeks to stop “roving patrols” of agents that the plaintiffs claim are detaining people without warrants or probable cause.
- An attorney for the federal government denied the accusations, saying the enforcement activities are based on “reasonable suspicion” and the “totality of the circumstances.”
- The federal court ordered DHS to stop immigration round ups based on race and ethnicicty.
A federal judge issued a ruling Friday on a request by immigrant advocates for restraining orders aimed at restricting federal immigration enforcement operations in Los Angeles and other parts of Southern California.
The federal judge ruled in favor of the immigrant advocates, issuing a temporary restraining order to block the administration from using alleged “unconstitutional” tactics.
Judge Maame E. Frimpong’s order bars the detention of people unless the officer or agent “has reasonable suspicion that the person to be stopped is within the United States in violation of U.S. immigration law.”
It states the defendant may not base that suspicion solely on apparent race or ethnicity; speaking Spanish or speaking English with an accent; presence at a particular locations like a bus stop or day laborer pick-up site.
The judge also issued a separate order barring the federal government from restricting attorney access at a Los Angeles immigration detention facility. It would also allow confidential phone calls to detainees.
The judge also issued a separate order barring the federal government from restricting attorney access at a Los Angeles immigration detention facility. It would also allow confidential phone calls to detainees.
The White House responded quickly to the ruling late Friday. “No federal judge has the authority to dictate immigration policy — that authority rests with Congress and the President,” spokesperson Abigail Jackson said. “Enforcement operations require careful planning and execution; skills far beyond the purview (or) jurisdiction of any judge. We expect this gross overstep of judicial authority to be corrected on appeal.”
“We strongly disagree with the allegations in the lawsuit and maintain that our agents have never detained individuals without proper legal justification. Our federal agents will continue to enforce the law and abide by the U.S. Constitution,” wrote U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli on the ruling.
Attorneys with Public Counsel and the American Civil Liberties Union said the lawsuit is intended to ensure people detained in the aggressive enforcement operations are given their legal right to meet with a lawyer. The plaintiffs are also pursuing an end to so-called “roving patrols” of agents they claim are detaining people without warrants or probable cause.
An attorney for the federal government denied the accusations, saying the enforcement activities are based on “reasonable suspicion” and the “totality of the circumstances.”
U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong appeared critical of the government’s arguments in court, saying she wanted to hear more specifics and fewer generalities.
The federal lawsuit filed last week accuses President Donald Trump’s administration of systematically targeting brown-skinned people in an immigration crackdown that has 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.
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.
Witnesses said with little or no warning, agents began detaining people at the Ventura County farm. Gordon Tokumatsu reports for the NBC4 News at 3 p.m. on Thursday, July 10, 2025.
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.
Telemundo 52’s Enrique Chiabra had a one-on-one interview with the Los Angeles mayor exclusively since the federal immigration raids began.
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.”
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 said they hope to obtain a restraining order that would apply to seven counties across Southern California.
“Today, the Court ruled in favor of the United States Constitution, of American values and decency — this is an important step toward restoring safety, security and defending the rights of all Angelenos,” wrote Mayor Karen Bass.
At a news conference earlier this week, Mayor Bass reiterated comments that Los Angeles is being used as a test case for the Trump administration.
“The city of Los Angeles, along with the county, cities, organizations and Angelenos across LA, is taking the administration to court to stop its clear violation of the United States Constitution and federal law,” Bass said. “We will not be intimidated — we are making Los Angeles the example of how people who believe in American values will stand together and stand united.”
The Trump administration has stepped up efforts to realize his campaign pledge of deporting millions of immigrants in the United States illegally. More than 4,000 California National Guard and hundreds of U.S. Marines have been deployed in Los Angeles since June — against the wishes of California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
On Thursday, federal agents were at a farm in rural Ventura County where several workers were taken into custody, according to witnesses.
More than 55,000 migrants nationwide have been taken into ICE custody over the past six months, according to data compiled by NBC News. About 28 percent have criminal convictions with about 25 percent having pending criminal charges. About 47 percent were listed as “other immigration violater.”
California is home to 10.6 million immigrants, more than any other state, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. The Pew Research Center estimates that 1.8 million immigrants in California were undocumented in 2022, a figure that dropped from 2.8 million in 2007.
NBCLA’s Missael Soto contributed to this report.