LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A federal judge has granted two temporary restraining orders in a lawsuit aimed at restricting the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from running immigration enforcement operations.
In the ruling, the judge said United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd M. Lyons, and Field Office Director of the Los Angeles Office of the Department of Homeland Security Ernesto Santacruz Jr. must provide detainees access for legal visitation seven days a week. The judge ruled they must also provide the detainees access to confidential phone calls with attorneys, legal representatives, and legal assistants at no charge to the detainee. The phone calls are not allowed to be screened, recorded, or otherwise monitored.
For the other temporary restraining order, the judge ruled that DHS can only stop people if they have a reasonable suspicion that the person is in violation of U.S. immigration law. Agents may not rely solely on apparent race or ethnicity, speaking Spanish or speaking English with an accent, presence at particular locations like car washes or Home Depots, and the type of work one does.
DHS must also provide documentation on why they detained an individual.
This happened as Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued a new round of executive directives to help immigrant communities.
As the Trump administration's legal action against California's sanctuary city policies -- particularly targeting Los Angeles -- makes its way through the courts, civil and immigrant rights groups filed a federal class action lawsuit aiming to immediately stop immigration agents from conducting military-style raids across L.A.
"We'll be holding our breath on that decision and hoping that she does follow through and that the city has some relief, and I think it would be relief for everyone for there to be a temporary restraining order that we would hope, of course, would then become permanent and that the raids would stop," Bass said before the decision came down on Friday.
With the stroke of a pen, Bass signed an executive order requiring all city departments to comply with L.A.'s sanctuary city ordinance, prohibiting the use of city resources and personnel in federal immigration enforcement. Among other things, the directive also mandates that each department deliver preparedness plans within two weeks to ensure no immigration activity occurs on city property.
"I just want to point out the irony for a minute that there is a need for a directive, that there is a need in our city to understand how to protect itself from the federal government," Bass said. "Just let that sink in for a minute."
Immigrant activists claim those detained by ICE are being held in overcrowded, dungeon-like, deplorable facilities without being given due process. Activists spoke out for immigrant rights on Friday morning at Placita Olvera in Downtown L.A.
"For the last 30 days, clergy across denominations and faith traditions have gathered each morning at Placita Olvera to offer worship, prayer, and presence," said Dylan Littlefield. "We were one part of the broader summer of resistance, standing with our community partners in a sustained collective witness for justice, dignity, and care."