Civil-rights organizations led by Public Counsel, the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California and the Immigrant Rights Clinic at the University of California, Irvine filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on 2 July. The complaint accuses President Donald Trump’s administration of running an unconstitutional immigration crackdown that has placed Los Angeles “under siege.” Plaintiffs include three detained immigrants and two U.S. citizens who say they were swept up in raids despite providing proof of citizenship. The 63-page filing alleges that masked, often unidentified agents in military-style clothing have indiscriminately detained people with “brown skin” at bus stops, parking lots, agricultural sites and workplaces, arresting them without warrants or probable cause. Between 6 and 22 June, immigration teams arrested 1,618 people in the Los Angeles area, according to figures cited in the suit. Detainees were allegedly held in the downtown processing center known as “B-18,” described as an overcrowded, “dungeon-like” facility lacking food, hygiene and access to lawyers. The plaintiffs seek a preliminary and permanent injunction blocking the raids and compelling the Department of Homeland Security to meet constitutional standards of due process, citing violations of the Fourth and Fifth Amendments. Lawyers argue the operations stem from directives by senior White House officials to boost daily arrest numbers beyond targeted lists. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin rejected the accusations, calling claims of racial targeting “categorically FALSE.” She said enforcement operations are “highly targeted” and that detainees receive meals, medical care and opportunities to contact attorneys and family members. The case intensifies a broader legal battle between Washington and California over immigration policy. It follows a Justice Department lawsuit against Los Angeles’ sanctuary ordinances and comes amid the recent deployment of National Guard units to quell anti-ICE protests in the city. A ruling could reshape how Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducts raids in the nation’s second-largest metropolitan area and potentially beyond.