Judge Dismisses Trump Administration Lawsuit Against Los Angeles Sanctuary Law

U.S. District Judge Fernando M. Olguin dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration challenging a 2024 Los Angeles sanctuary city ordinance. The ordinance, formally known as the Prohibition of the Use of City Resources for Federal Immigration Enforcement, bars city employees and resources from cooperating with federal immigration authorities or sharing citizenship status, except when investigating serious offenses.

Fernando M. Olguin ruled that the ordinance is constitutional because it controls the actions of city agents rather than directly regulating the federal government. The administration had argued that the policy violated the Supremacy Clause and the intergovernmental immunity doctrine, claiming it obstructed efforts to address an illegal immigration crisis and contributed to urban chaos.

While the judge dismissed claims against Mayor Karen Bass, City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, and the Los Angeles City Council, he granted the federal government permission to file an amended complaint by July 3. This ruling follows similar federal court dismissals of administration lawsuits against Boston and Chicago.

Mayor Karen Bass and City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto praised the decision as a victory for local authority. The ruling comes after President Donald Trump previously deployed troops to Los Angeles to quell protests against deportation operations.