California Attorney General Rob Bonta, along with 16 other state attorneys general, has filed a second amicus brief supporting litigation that challenges U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for alleged unconstitutional stops of residents in Southern California. The coalition seeks to prevent what it describes as unlawful immigration sweeps by federal agencies.
The lawsuit addresses actions taken during the Trump Administration, which included aggressive immigration raids in California communities. These actions have reportedly caused fear among both immigrant and non-immigrant residents, discouraged civic participation, and disrupted law enforcement efforts.
Attorney General Bonta stated: “The Trump Administration is conducting immigration stops of California residents based solely off the color of their skin, the language that they speak, or the job that they work in a brazen violation of the Fourth Amendment. These immigration raids are not about detaining violent criminals – they’re about meeting arbitrary quotas, no matter the cost. It’s not just immoral, it’s unconstitutional. I urge the court to block ICE and CBP from employing these racially-motivated, unscrupulous tactics and allow our communities to return to peace.”
The District Court for the Central District of California had previously granted a temporary restraining order against ICE and CBP over these practices. The Ninth Circuit declined to stay that order after finding the federal government’s conduct likely unlawful.
The recent amicus brief argues for a preliminary injunction on several grounds:
– Unlawful stops by CBP and ICE have negatively impacted local economies, public health, and daily life.
– Federal officers conducting stops while masked or concealing their agency have made local law enforcement more difficult and posed risks to public safety.
Bonta referenced historical context by noting California’s experience with “Operation Wetback” in 1954—a mass deportation initiative named with an ethnic slur—which also led to arrests of U.S. citizens. He said President Donald Trump praised this operation as a model during his campaign before implementing similar tactics.
Attorney General Bonta reaffirmed his commitment to challenging federal overreach into state matters: In June he joined Governor Newsom in filing suit against what they described as unlawful use of National Guard troops for civilian law enforcement duties in Los Angeles—allegedly violating the Posse Comitatus Act—and presented evidence at trial last week before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
The states joining Bonta in filing this amicus brief include Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.
A copy of the amicus brief is available here.
