California Files 100th Lawsuit Against Trump Administration Over Courthouse Arrests

California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California challenging the practice of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arresting individuals at or near state courthouses. This action marks the 100th lawsuit California has filed against the federal government since Donald Trump began his second term in 2025.

Bonta argues that these arrests are unconstitutional and create a chilling effect that deters victims and witnesses from testifying. The lawsuit alleges that ICE continued these practices despite a June 2026 ruling by U.S. District Judge P. Casey Pitts that struck down expanded courthouse arrest policies nationwide. The legal challenge follows a state law signed by Governor Gavin Newsom requiring federal agents to present judicial warrants for arrests within 1,000 feet of state courthouses.

The White House dismissed the litigation as frivolous, while ICE defended the practice as a common sense approach to apprehending offenders. White House spokesperson Lauren Bis noted that the administration's policies have been consistently upheld as lawful in over 25 Supreme Court victories, despite injunctions from lower courts.