ACLU Sues Border Patrol Over Alleged Abuse During Kern County Immigration Raids

The lawsuit claims constitutional violations and coercive deportations during January's operation targeting farmworkers and day laborers.

The ACLU filed a federal lawsuit against U.S. Border Patrol and DHS, alleging unconstitutional tactics during a January raid in Kern County, California.
The operation, dubbed 'Operation Return to Sender,' reportedly involved racial profiling, unlawful detentions, and coercive deportations, according to the complaint.
Agents allegedly used excessive force, including tire-slashing and physical assaults, and pressured detainees into signing voluntary departure agreements under duress.
The raids targeted predominantly Latino neighborhoods and workplaces, with at least 40 individuals expelled to Mexico, leaving families separated and communities disrupted.
The lawsuit seeks class-action status and demands an end to alleged unlawful practices, as well as the return of expelled individuals to the U.S.