California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed an amicus brief on July 7 supporting plaintiffs in a lawsuit against Homeland Security and other agencies for their use of “militaristic action” in U.S. cities.
The move comes amidst the Trump administration’s deployment of National Guard troops to MacArthur Park in Los Angeles the same day.
The attorney general was joined by the attorneys general of at least 17 other states, including neighbors such as Arizona, Nevada, and Oregon, according to the attorney general’s office’s news release.
The brief was submitted for Vasquez Perdomo et al v Noem et al, which is seeking a temporary restraining order against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection.
The suit aims to stop the federal agencies from engaging in what the defendants allege is unconstitutional and unlawful stops of Los Angeles residents during immigration sweeps.
“The actions of ICE and CBP during the raids in Los Angeles are part of a cruel and familiar pattern of attacks on our immigrant communities by an administration that thrives on fear and division,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta in the release.
The AG has argued that the border patrol and ICE have engaged in unlawful stops without a reasonable suspicion of unlawful activity, harming local economies, public health and “several other core facets of daily life”.
What happened in MacArthur Park?
The same day the state attorney general submitted the brief, National Guard troops deployed to Macarthur Park in Los Angeles to support federal agents in immigration enforcement efforts. The park is located in Central Los Angeles, less than four miles south of Dodger Stadium.
At the park, armored vehicles, mounted officers, and armed troops briefly swept through the park before leaving.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass went to the park when she heard the news and said 20 children were playing at the park before the troops swarmed through, USA Today previously reported.
“Yesterday’s action at MacArthur Park is another horrifying example of the Trump Administration’s true goal: stoking fear in our communities,” said Bonta in a social media post in response to the MacArthur Park incident.
Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: California AG calls for end of federal ‘militaristic action’ in Los Angeles
Reporting by Ernesto Centeno Araujo, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
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