A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration that sought to block Los Angeles' sanctuary city ordinance, ruling that the city's law does not violate the doctrine of intergovernmental immunity.
U.S. District Judge Fernando M. Olguin granted the city's motion to dismiss the complaint, which alleged that the ordinance regulates and discriminates against the federal government. Olguin stated that the government's allegations were insufficient to establish a violation, though he granted the administration permission to file an amended complaint by July 3. He clarified that the ordinance "controls the actions of [the City’s] own agents and agencies" rather than directly regulating the federal government.
The dismissal was hailed as a legal victory by Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto, who emphasized that the ruling reinforces the authority of local governments to manage their personnel and resources. Mayor Karen Bass echoed this sentiment, stating the decision "affirms the righteousness of our commitment to protect immigrants and all Angelenos."
The Trump administration's lawsuit, filed in June, contended that Los Angeles' ordinance hindered federal efforts to address a "crisis of illegal immigration" by refusing to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. The suit was filed amidst federal immigration enforcement actions in Southern California, which led to thousands of arrests and widespread protests.
The sanctuary city ordinance, finalized after the 2024 presidential election, prohibits city employees and property from being used for immigration enforcement purposes, with an exception for investigations into serious offenses. It also mandates that city employees treat data related to citizenship or immigration status as confidential, aiming to encourage crime victims and witnesses to report incidents without fear of deportation.
The Department of Justice had argued that the ordinance "undermines the Federal Government’s immigration enforcement efforts" and sought to "thwart the will of the American people regarding deportations," citing the President's campaign platform. The lawsuit alleged that the ordinance's adverse treatment of the federal government violated the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution.
