Five detained workers and four organizations: The Network of Worker Centers of Los Angeles, the United Farm Workers (UFW), the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) and the Legal Center of Immigrant Defenders, filed a lawsuit, arguing that the Trump Administration has “unconstitutionally” arrested and detained people to meet an “arbitrary” arrest quota.

The 63-page lawsuit filed in the District Court for Central California alleges that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has “kidnapped and disappeared” community members through illegal detention and arrest practices based on their skin color, plaintiffs' attorneys explained at a press conference.

The document accuses DHS of confining detainees in a federal building in Los Angeles in illegal conditions that put their health at risk, and denying them access to attorneys.

The legal action asks the court to issue injunctive and permanent injunctions to stop future violations of their rights protected by the Fourth and Fifth Amendments of the Constitution.

Attorneys with the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California (ACLU SoCal) and Public Counsel, among other groups representing the plaintiffs, explained that they are seeking a class-action lawsuit that benefits people affected in seven counties that make up the Los Angeles metropolitan area.

Mohammad Tajsar, senior attorney at ACLU SoCal, described the legal battle as “historic,” noting that immigration raids in Los Angeles have been “illegal, immoral, and unconstitutional.”

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