The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a motion directing the City Attorney’s Office to pursue legal action aimed to protect Angelenos by seeking “injunctive relief from unconstitutional searches, seizures and detentions.” No council members requested separate consideration.

The vote, as part of the council’s consent calendar,  took place one day after the Trump administration filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court accusing Los Angeles of obstructing federal immigration enforcement through its “sanctuary city” policies. Attorneys for the federal government claim the city’s ordinance is expressly designed to block cooperation and coordination between local and federal authorities.

Councilmembers Katy Yaroslavsky and Ysabel Jurado introduced the motion on June 20 in response to recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids across Los Angeles they said violated residents’ civil rights.

The measure cites reports of “masked agents” using “unsigned or blank warrants” to stop people in public spaces, demand identification, question them about immigration status and detain or arrest individuals without a lawful warrant.

The motion argues such tactics raise questions about whether federal agents can claim qualified immunity if they “knowingly disregard the constitutional or civil rights of persons in the United States” by targeting people based only on their appearance.

It also notes that the City Attorney’s Office is “exploring all available legal remedies against the Trump administration’s persecution of our city,” including potential claims under the Fourth Amendment, which protects people against unreasonable searches and seizures.

During the same meeting, the City Council also unanimously approved a separate motion by Councilmembers Eunisses Hernandez and Imelda Padilla directing city departments to review the LAPD’s cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, report on those practices, and consider policies to further limit such cooperation under the city’s existing sanctuary ordinance.

“We’ve seen deeply concerning videos of LAPD officers during these operations, where their focus seems to be on concerned residents for responding, rather than on the violence being enacted by these masked men,” Hernandez said.

She added: “We want to make sure that we’re not violating any constitutional rights and taking actions that could infringe on that. This includes verifying judicial warrants, confirming the identity of any federal agents on site, and making sure LAPD personnel do not engage in activities that exceed what is legally required.”

The council’s actions Tuesday are the latest moves by city leaders to reaffirm Los Angeles’ status as a sanctuary city amid rising tensions with federal authorities.

The council vote came as leaders, including Mayor Karen Bass, sought to present a united front against the Trump administration’s legal challenge and immigration raids. During a press conference Tuesday, Mayor Karen Bass pushed back on the Trump administration’s lawsuit challenging the city’s sanctuary policies, calling it a start of a federal “all-out assault” against Los Angeles.

The L.A. County Board of Supervisors was scheduled to discuss a similar action Tuesday afternoon that would initiate legal action to protect the civil rights of county residents.

Recent ICE operations in the region have sparked protests and criticism from state and local leaders, who accuse the Trump administration of provoking unrest and misrepresenting the city’s response. Federal officials, meanwhile, have defended the raids as necessary for enforcing immigration law and maintain public order.

Staff writer Steve Scauzillo contributed to this report.