In a significant legal challenge, a national immigration group, CASA, along with four residents from Washington, D.C., have initiated a lawsuit against President Donald Trump's administration. The complaint, filed on Thursday, accuses federal officials of conducting illegal deportations of immigrants since early August.

This legal action is a response to a declaration by President Trump of a crime emergency in the nation's capital. Following this declaration, the administration took control of local police and deployed the National Guard, aiming to address crime in Washington, D.C. According to the White House, the crackdown has resulted in over 2,000 arrests, many of which were for immigration-related offenses.

The plaintiffs are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), along with various non-profit organizations and law firms. They have filed the lawsuit as a class action on behalf of individuals who have been subjected to what they claim are illegal arrests since the start of the enforcement surge in August 2025.

The ACLU's statement highlighted the aggressive tactics employed: "Over the past month and a half, plain-clothed, masked, and armed federal agents have indiscriminately arrested residents without warrants and probable cause, targeting individuals they perceive to be Latino."

The lawsuit challenges the administration’s policy of detaining people without a warrant or probable cause, asserting that such actions are not only unlawful in terms of immigration status but also in determining the likelihood of individuals fleeing before a warrant can be obtained. The affected residents are seeking a court injunction to halt these alleged unlawful arrests by the government.

A virtual press conference is scheduled for September 26, where victims of the alleged illegal arrests will share their experiences, further highlighting the impact of the administration's policies on the community.

This case presents another critical legal examination of President Trump's immigration policies, which have repeatedly sparked controversy and legal challenges throughout his terms in office.