Federal court filings released this week include texts and sworn testimony that contradict DHS's public account of an immigration operation outside Gov. Gavin Newsom's August press conference. An agent called the deployment a "stunt" and said it appeared politically motivated, according to the records. The ACLU and Public Counsel's lawsuit alleges unconstitutional stops and racial profiling, and other testimony says agents picked a Whittier car wash after searching Google for nearby locations.
Court Filings: DHS Agent Called ICE Presence at Newsom Press Event a Political "Stunt"
Gavin Newsom, Donald Trump
Newly released federal court filings raise questions about the Department of Homeland Security's public explanation for an immigration operation staged outside California Gov. Gavin Newsom's Los Angeles press conference last August. Internal messages and sworn testimony from federal agents — included as exhibits in a lawsuit — suggest the deployment may have been politically motivated rather than a routine enforcement action.
What the Filings Show
The records, filed this week in federal court, were submitted as part of a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, Public Counsel and other legal advocates on behalf of multiple plaintiffs. The complaint alleges that federal officers conducted unconstitutional stops and arrests that relied on racial profiling and lacked reasonable suspicion.
"We're told to assist with targeted enforcement… That is not target enforcement. That was just a political agenda. Hopefully I can get replaced soon."
— Text message from a federal agent, included in court filings
The same agent provided sworn testimony also included in the court record, saying the operation "seemed to be purely political" after agents appeared outside a press conference that launched Newsom's campaign for Proposition 50, a ballot initiative that later passed and helped reshape California's congressional map.
Operational Details Raised in Testimony
Other exhibits include testimony from a Border Patrol agent who said officers selected the enforcement site by searching Google for nearby car washes and choosing a location in Whittier because it "was one of the places that came on the list as the nearest location."
At the time of the operation, DHS publicly told the Los Angeles Times that the activity was not connected to Gov. Newsom's event. The newly revealed internal messages and testimony now being cited in court filings appear to conflict with that public statement.
Political Reactions
Gov. Newsom posted on X (formerly Twitter): "[President Donald] Trump's own immigration agents admit it. They were ordered to target last summer's redistricting rally in LA… That is blatant authoritarianism, ordered by Trump."
The case is ongoing, and the filings add potentially significant firsthand detail to the plaintiffs' claims that enforcement actions in Southern California were improperly motivated and executed.
Why It Matters
The documents provide a rare, internal view into how federal agents described and justified operations in real time. If the allegations of political motivation and unconstitutional enforcement are borne out, they could have implications for oversight of federal immigration operations and for accountability in politically sensitive contexts.
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