In a unanimous vote, the Santa Ana City Council agreed to join eight other cities in a federal lawsuit that seeks to prevent federal agents from conducting what the city alleged were unconstitutional immigration stops and raids without reasonable suspicion or probable cause.
Related: City of LA, county and 7 cities join lawsuit to stop federal immigration raids
“The City of Santa Ana is committed to safeguarding the rights, dignity, and safety of all its residents. By joining this lawsuit, the city stands in solidarity with neighboring jurisdictions to challenge enforcement actions that undermine public trust and violate due process,” a city news release said. “Respecting constitutional rights is not optional — it is fundamental to good governance and community safety.”
The vote was approved 6-0 during a closed session at a regular City Council meeting held on Tuesday, July 15, with Councilmember Jessie Lopez absent.
The lawsuit challenges the use of alleged disproportionate force during immigration enforcement actions by multiple agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. It also challenges what the city described as an “unlawful confinement of people held at federal buildings without access to legal representation.”
CBP and ICE representatives could not immediately be reached for comment on Wednesday.
Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, previously denied allegations of unconstitutional raids and said federal law enforcement agents do not conduct operations without proper procedure.
Santa Ana is the first Orange County city to be added to the lawsuit, joining Los Angeles, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Culver City, Pico Rivera, Montebello, Monterey Park and West Hollywood, along with Los Angeles County.
The lawsuit, Vasquez Perdomo v. Noem, was filed by various immigration and civil rights organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.