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.”
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.