Border Patrol Sued for 'Lawless Sweeps, Indiscriminate Arrests' During Three-Day Raid in California

The United Farm Workers and five Kern County residents have filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Border Patrol, alleging that a three-day raid in California's San Joaquin Valley in January led to unconstitutional arrests and coercive expulsions.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in the Eastern District of California, seeks class-action relief and claims that Border Patrol agents conducted "lawless sweeps, indiscriminate arrests, and coercive expulsions."

According to the complaint, Border Patrol's El Centro sector led the operation, known as "Operation Return to Sender," without the involvement of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). It resulted in the detention of nearly 200 individuals, with at least 40 expelled to Mexico under "voluntary departure" agreements, as The Miami Herald reports. Plaintiffs argue that many of those detained had no criminal history and some had pending immigration applications.

Bree Bernwanger, senior staff attorney at the ACLU Foundation of Northern California, explained the purpose of the suit in a statement on the organization's website:

"Border Patrol's lawless practices do not make anyone safer. They terrorize communities, violate the Constitution, and disregard limits that Congress has imposed on immigration agents. This lawsuit seeks to end Border Patrol's unlawful reliance on racial profiling, indiscriminate arrests without a warrant, and using coercion and deception to deny people their rights"

The complaint describes aggressive enforcement tactics, including agents allegedly smashing car windows, slashing tires, and detaining individuals without explanation. Plaintiffs also claim detainees were held in conditions lacking basic hygiene and pressured to sign departure agreements without being informed of their legal rights.

Maria Hernandez Espinoza, one of the plaintiffs, said she was forced to sign documents she was not permitted to read, unknowingly agreeing to leave the country:

"They stopped us because we look Latino or like farmworkers, because of the color of our skin. It was unfair. I hope our rights are protected so that all workers can work and live in peace"

In response to the lawsuit, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security stated to The Miami Herald that Border Patrol's enforcement actions are "highly targeted" and that any allegations of misconduct would be referred for investigation.