Trump Lawsuit Claims Los Angeles Sanctuary Policy Fueled Riots

The Trump administration sued Los Angeles claiming its sanctuary city ordinance helped fuel riots during protests against the president’s deportation crackdown, prompting the US to send in national guard troops.

Immigration agents were significantly impeded by the law, which restricts local law enforcement officials from assisting federal efforts to deport migrants in the country illegally, the US said in the lawsuit filed Monday in Los Angeles federal court.

“The practical upshot of Los Angeles’ refusal to cooperate with federal immigration authorities has, since June 6, 2025, been lawlessness, rioting, looting, and vandalism,” US Justice Department lawyers said in the complaint. “A direct confrontation” was “the inevitable outcome.”

Mayor Karen Bass didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the suit.

President Donald Trump has been at odds with leaders in California over how to respond to protests in Los Angeles. He took control of the California National Guard and deployed thousands of troops over the objections of Governor Gavin Newsom. California sued to block the deployment, but Trump has been permitted to retain control of state troops under a temporary court order.

Read More: How Sanctuary Cities Are Fighting Trump, Again

While anti-deportation protests have since died down, National Guard troops and Marines remain in the city outside federal buildings and flanking Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents as they carry out raids.

The lawsuit marks the president’s latest legal scuffle over sanctuary city laws. The administration sued Illinois and Chicago in February, and later sued cities in New Jersey. Trump also issued an executive order that seeks to withhold federal funds from jurisdictions with sanctuary rules in place.

A federal judge in San Francisco temporarily blocked the administration from enforcing Trump’s order against San Francisco and more than a dozen other local cities that sued. California, New York and 18 other states have also challenged the president’s action.

The case is US v. City of Los Angeles, C.D. Cal., No. 2:25-cv-05917, complaint filed 6/30/25.

To contact the reporter on this story:
Madlin Mekelburg in Austin at mmekelburg@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story:
Misyrlena Egkolfopoulou at megkolfopoul@bloomberg.net

Steve Stroth, Peter Blumberg

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