SANTA ANA, Calif. — The Santa Ana City Council voted today to join the City of Los Angeles, the County of Los Angeles, and several other cities as part of a federal lawsuit, Vasquez Perdomo v. Noem, recently filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Public Counsel, and other immigration and civil rights organizations.
The action was approved in a unanimous vote, 6-0, with Councilmember Jessie Lopez absent, during the closed session of the July 15 regular City Council meeting. The City of Santa Ana is the only city in Orange County to join the lawsuit to date.
The lawsuit seeks to prevent the federal government, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), from conducting unconstitutional and unlawful stops, round-ups, and raids without reasonable suspicion or probable cause, often based solely on perceived ethnicity. It also challenges the use of disproportionate force during immigration enforcement actions and the unlawful confinement of individuals at federal buildings without access to legal representation.
The City of Santa Ana is committed to safeguarding the rights, dignity, and safety of all its residents. By joining this lawsuit, the city stands in solidarity with neighboring jurisdictions to challenge enforcement actions that undermine public trust and violate due process. Respecting constitutional rights is not optional — it is fundamental to good governance and community safety.
While immigration enforcement remains a federal responsibility, Santa Ana affirms that such enforcement must always be conducted lawfully and with full respect for the rights of every individual.
The City of Santa Ana will continue working closely with local organizations, public safety agencies and community members to ensure that all families in Santa Ana feel secure, valued and protected.
Other cities participating in the lawsuit include Pasadena, Santa Monica, Culver City, Pico Rivera, Montebello, Monterey Park, and West Hollywood.
El Concejo Municipal de Santa Ana votó hoy para unirse a la Ciudad de Los Ángeles, el Condado de Los Ángeles y varias otras ciudades en la demanda federal, Vásquez-Perdomo contra Noem, presentada recientemente por la Unión Americana de Libertades Civiles (ACLU), Public Counsel y otras organizaciones de inmigración y derechos civiles.
La acción fue aprobada por unanimidad (6-0), con la ausencia de la concejal Jessie Lopez, durante la sesión a puerta cerrada de la sesión ordinaria del Concejo Municipal del 15 de julio. La Ciudad de Santa Ana es la única ciudad del Condado de Orange que se ha unido a la demanda hasta la fecha.
La demanda busca impedir que el gobierno federal, incluyendo el Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE) y la Oficina de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza (CBP), realice detenciones, redadas y redadas inconstitucionales e ilegales sin sospecha razonable ni causa probable, a menudo basadas únicamente en la percepción étnica. También impugna el uso desproporcionado de la fuerza durante las acciones de control migratorio y el confinamiento ilegal de personas en edificios federales sin acceso a representación legal.
La Ciudad de Santa Ana se compromete a salvaguardar los derechos, la dignidad y la seguridad de todos sus residentes. Al unirse a esta demanda, la ciudad se solidariza con las jurisdicciones vecinas para impugnar las acciones de control que socavan la confianza pública y violan el debido proceso. Respetar los derechos constitucionales no es opcional; es fundamental para el buen gobierno y la seguridad comunitaria.
Si bien el control migratorio sigue siendo responsabilidad federal, la Ciudad de Santa Ana afirma que dicho control debe llevarse a cabo siempre de manera legal y con pleno respeto a los derechos de cada persona.
La Ciudad de Santa Ana seguirá colaborando estrechamente con organizaciones locales, agencias de seguridad pública y miembros de la comunidad para garantizar que todas las familias de Santa Ana se sientan seguras, valoradas y protegidas.
Otras ciudades que participan en la demanda son Pasadena, Santa Monica, Culver City, Pico Rivera, Montebello, Monterey Park y West Hollywood.
Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions.
When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.Contact Art at editor@newsantaana.com.
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