'Tearing up the constitution': Trump admin sending 'masked goons' out to terrorize in ICE raids that feel like 'brazen, midday kidnappings,' lawsuit says

The Trump administration has been "tearing up the Constitution" with its migration operations successful Southern California — sending "masked goons" to Los Angeles to terrorize "individuals with brownish skin" with ICE raids and seizures that consciousness similar "brazen, midday kidnappings," according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

The ACLU of Southern California filed a national people enactment suit Wednesday successful the Central District of California connected behalf of immigrants who person been snatched up by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement successful the months since President Donald Trump has taken office. The Department of Homeland Security and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem person been named arsenic defendants, among others successful Trump's administration. The suit accuses ICE and DHS of creating "an amerciable detention and deportation dragnet that shows nary signs of ceasing" starting connected oregon astir June 6, per the complaint.

"One of the clearest patterns that person emerged successful the raids successful Southern California implicit the past fewer weeks has been stops and interrogations based connected thing but wide profiles, including connected the ground of evident contention and ethnicity," the ailment says.

"In a emblematic encounter, agents and officers attack abruptly and successful ample numbers," the ACLU alleges. "Typically dressed successful subject benignant oregon SWAT clothing, heavy equipped with weapons displayed, and masked, their vests whitethorn show lone a generic 'POLICE' spot (if they show thing astatine all)."

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The ailment blasts Trump's migration operations arsenic a "grossly disproportionate show of force" that is capable to "make immoderate idiosyncratic fearfulness for their information and consciousness compelled to comply." One alleged maneuver that is listed progressive agents positioning themselves astir individuals "aggressively" portion they allegedly "bark commands."

Pedro Vasquez Perdomo, a Pasadena nonmigratory who has lived successful California for decades, says helium was waiting astatine a autobus halt crossed the thoroughfare from a Winchell's Donuts with co-workers, waiting to beryllium picked up for a job, erstwhile 4 cars converged connected his determination and astir fractional a twelve agents — each with weapons and masks — took him distant without identifying themselves.

"To petitioner-plaintiff Vasquez Perdomo, it felt similar a kidnapping," the ailment alleges. "He tried to permission but was swiftly surrounded, grabbed, handcuffed, and enactment into 1 of the vehicles."

Individuals who person tried to debar "encounters" with agents person been chased and pushed to the ground, "sometimes adjacent beaten," earlier being taken away, according to the ACLU.

The rights radical says that connected apical of the unlawful arrests, the authorities has besides "resorted" to keeping individuals astatine what is expected to beryllium a short-term processing halfway and ICE basement holding country successful downtown Los Angeles, known arsenic "B-18″ — often for days, the ailment alleges. "In these dungeon-like facilities, conditions are deplorable and unconstitutional," the filing charges. "The authorities has besides unlawfully deprived those arrested of entree to counsel. Under specified conditions, immoderate of those arrested are pressured into accepting voluntary departure."

The Trump administration is afloat alert that its actions are unconstitutional, according to the caller lawsuit, "but deliberately persists due to the fact that this strategy allows it to coerce removals, debar nationalist accountability, and yet — fixed the constricted furniture abstraction astatine longer-term detention facilities successful the country — support apprehension numbers high."

In a connection to ABC News, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the allegations astir ICE targeting individuals owed to the colour of their tegument colour were "categorically FALSE," arsenic were the different accusations.

"These benignant of smears are designed to demonize and villainize our brave ICE instrumentality enforcement," McLaughlin said.

Homeland Security did not respond to Law&Crime's requests for remark Thursday.

Mohammad Tajsar, elder unit lawyer with ACLU Southern California, released a connection online Wednesday saying everyone should beryllium "guaranteed Constitutional rights" and extortion from amerciable seizures, careless of their tegument colour and migration status.

"Since June 6th, marauding, masked goons person descended upon Los Angeles, terrorizing our brownish communities and tearing up the Constitution successful the process," Tajsar said. "We volition clasp DHS accountable."