Lawsuit Filed Against LA Sheriff Jim McDonnell: Seeks Disclosure of Collusion with Trump Administration

Los Angeles, CA – On Thursday evening, the Service Employees International Union United Service Workers West (USWW) and the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) filed a lawsuit against Los Angeles Sheriff Jim McDonnell to compel disclosure of information about the Sheriff’s interactions with the Trump administration about SB-54 (“Values Act,” Sen. de León). During an evening panel discussion hosted by Zocalo Public Square, entitled “What Does Trump Mean for Immigrant LA?,” the Sheriff was physically “served” with the lawsuit by janitors and day laborers.

During the exchange, the group of immigrant workers issued the service to Sheriff after, NDLON Executive Director Pablo Alvarado made brief remarks. Video of the exchange can be found here.

Prior to that, activists from the ICE out of Los Angeles coalition staged a peaceful and silent protest of the panel by holding up a banner that stated “McDonnell: Stop Doing Trumps Dirty Work & No More Deportations!!”

Alejandra Valles, Secretary Treasurer, SEIU USWW said, “The sheriff is trying to bully lawmakers in Sacramento into watering down a necessary and important legislation to block President Trump’s unjust deportation agenda. Our lawsuit asks a simple question: Why?”’

Earlier in the day, the ICE out of CA coalition sent a letter (signed by over 20 community organizations) calling for Sheriff McDonnell to be removed from the panel, and they also issued this statement: “Trump means fear for immigrant Los Angeles. It is unfortunate that Sheriff McDonnell, who has been complicit in spreading that fear, will be given a platform to speak while no immigrants will be featured in the discussion. The Sheriff has proven to be one of the strongest lobbyists against SB-54, and his obvious attempt to bully Sen. Kevin de León and Governor Brown will not go uncontested.”

NDLON and SEIU are represented by attorneys Matthew Struger and Colleen Flynn.

**PDF Copy of the Lawsuit can be found here
**Video of the notice of a lawsuit can be found here

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