A lawsuit filed against the federal government accuses the Trump administration’s recent immigration raids in Southern California of repeatedly violating the constitutional rights of detainees.
This legal action, initiated by five detained workers and four community organizations dedicated to immigrant and worker rights, alleges violations of the Fourth Amendment’s protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, as well as the Fifth Amendment’s guarantees of access to legal counsel.
The plaintiffs’ attorneys expressed intentions to pursue a class action lawsuit to expand the scope of their claims.
Mohammad Tajsar, a senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, addressed reporters at a news conference, emphasizing the need for legal intervention.
He stated that his clients want a judge to mitigate the actions of federal agents who they claim are arresting individuals solely based on racial profiling.
Tajsar described the situation, saying, “Armed, masked goons in unmarked cars have descended in our communities and have stopped and rounded people up from all walks of life, often at gunpoint and without any justification.
“To them, if you are brown, they will hunt you down. To them, if you have dark skin, they will take you in.”
In response to these allegations, officials with the Department of Homeland Security asserted that federal immigration agents do not engage in racial profiling and that detainees are not being held in substandard conditions.
The lawsuit further suggests that many detainees are being kept in dire conditions in the basement of a federal building in downtown Los Angeles, where they lack basic amenities such as beds, showers, and medical facilities.
The claim describes overcrowded, windowless rooms that do not allow detainees to sit or lie down comfortably.
Alvaro Huerta, an attorney with the Immigrant Defenders Law Center, reported difficulties in reaching individuals detained in these conditions.
“We have attempted to get a hold of people who are being held at the basement of the federal building downtown… and we have been denied access to those people,” Huerta said.
Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, responded to these claims in an email, asserting that federal agents conduct their operations with diligence and that they target specific individuals.
“All detainees are provided with proper meals, medical treatment, and have opportunities to communicate with lawyers and their family members,” she stated.
The personal stories of the detainees further illustrate the human impact of these raids. Maria, whose husband was arrested while working at a Pomona car wash, described the inadequate medical care he received, noting that he was not given his diabetes medication for two weeks after his detention.
“He’s there, holding on,” she said.
Maria voiced her bewilderment over her husband’s arrest, asserting, “He’s not a criminal. He just went out to provide for his family. And you never think that these things would happen to your family until it does.
“It’s heartbreaking,” she added, reflecting on the emotional toll on her family. “My grandkids asked for him, and I just don’t know what to tell them.”
In their lawsuit, the plaintiffs are seeking class action status to encompass all individuals subjected to “suspicionless” stops and warrantless arrests by unidentifiable federal agents.
Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, expressed urgency about the case, indicating their intention to appeal to the court swiftly.
The plaintiffs aim to secure a temporary restraining order that prohibits the federal government from conducting arrests without probable cause and restricts the detention of individuals without access to legal representation.
Salas emphasized the broader implications, stating, “Our community is asserting their rights, and ICE and all of these federal agents don’t care. It’s super simple. Follow the Constitution.”
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