Trump DOJ Sues Los Angeles, Mayor Bass, and the City Council in Massive Legal Attack on Sanctuary City Status

Moreover, the DOJ argued that the leadership of Los Angeles harbored a political agenda aimed at “thwarting the will of the American people concerning deportations,” noting that the city “initiated the process of enshrining its sanctuary city policies into law” immediately following President Trump’s election “on a platform advocating for the deportation of millions of illegal immigrants allowed by the previous administration.”

In an official statement concerning the lawsuit, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi remarked that the lawsuit was initiated in response to sanctuary policies, which she identified as “the driving cause of the violence, chaos, and attacks on law enforcement that Americans recently witnessed in Los Angeles.” She further stated, “Jurisdictions such as Los Angeles that disregard federal law by prioritizing illegal aliens over American citizens are undermining law enforcement at every level — this will cease under President Trump.”

Additionally, Bill Essayli, the U.S. Attorney for Los Angeles, indicated that the lawsuit aims to hold LA “accountable for intentionally obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration law.” He emphasized, “The Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution forbids the city from selectively enforcing federal laws.”

Moreover, U.S. Attorney Essayli elaborated, “By aiding removable aliens in evading federal law enforcement, the city’s unlawful and discriminatory ordinance has fostered a lawless and unsafe environment that this lawsuit seeks to rectify.” He noted that LA leadership will “permit the FBI to enter, but they will not allow ICE agents in, thus discriminating regarding which agents can access certain buildings.”