Los AngelesThe administration of President Donald Trump filed a lawsuit against Los Angeles on Monday, alleging that the city’s sanctuary rules, which prevent local police from exchanging information on individuals without legal status, are impeding the implementation of immigration laws and fostering a chaotic atmosphere.
The U.S. District Court complaint claims that the White House’s attempts to combat what it describes as an illegal immigration issue are hampered by Los Angeles’ sanctuary city statute. This is the most recent in a series of legal actions against “sanctuary jurisdictions,” such as New Jersey, Colorado, and New York, that restrict collaboration with federal immigration officials.
The Los Angeles policy prohibits immigration enforcement from using local resources. The city ordinance is deemed unlawful in the court complaint, which also requests that its enforcement be stopped.
In the announcement of the most recent lawsuit, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s chief of staff, Chad Mizelle, stated that the administration will not allow any interference with the federal government’s crackdown.
In a social media post on the platform X, Mizelle stated, “We will continue to enforce federal immigration law in Los Angeles, regardless of whether the city’s government or residents agree with it.”
A message was sent to Mayor Karen Bass’s office asking for comments on the lawsuit.
The city’s ordinance was meticulously prepared and conforms with federal law and constitutional concepts that distinguish between state and federal authority, according to a spokesman for City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto.
Spokesman Ivor Pine stated that the city is still dedicated to defending both our constitutional rights and the rights of our citizens.
Co-author of the sanctuary bill in Los Angeles, Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez, stated Monday that the city would take all necessary precautions to safeguard its citizens.
In a statement, he claimed that Trump is destroying families and attempting to compel towns and communities nationwide to support him in achieving his goals.
He went on to say, “We will not allow Donald Trump to deport innocent families.”
Trump allegedly won the presidency on a campaign of deporting millions of illegal immigrants, according to the Los Angeles lawsuit. Over the course of the last three weeks, immigration officials have flooded Southern California, making hundreds of arrests and sparking protests.
Rallies against immigration sweeps and the following deployment of the National Guard and Marines drew tens of thousands of participants. More than 100 people have been taken into custody by Los Angeles police on a variety of crimes, including hurling rocks at federal authorities and setting fire to self-driving Waymo vehicles.
Since June 6, 2025, chaos, rioting, looting, and vandalism have resulted from Los Angeles’s practical reluctance to assist with federal immigration agents, according to the court brief.
The mayor relaxed a curfew she had put in place a week earlier to stop vandalism and break-ins during protests at night on June 18. A number of downtown blocks that house numerous federal and local government buildings have seen the majority of the protests.
