Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Latino New Yorkers file lawsuit alleging racial profiling by Trump immigration agents
By
Arun Venugopal
Published Apr 9, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Legal complaint, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York,
By
Arun Venugopal
Published Apr 9, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Eight Latino New Yorkers and a group of local civil liberties groups sued the Trump administration on Wednesday, claiming that Homeland Security agents target people for immigration enforcement based solely on the way they look.
The federal lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, alleges “roving bands of masked and heavily-armed federal agents, both on foot and in unmarked cars, are indiscriminately stopping and arresting thousands of Black and Brown people, the vast majority of whom are Latino, based solely on their perceived race and ethnicity.”
Doing so violates people’s rights against unreasonable searches by government agents, as well as people’s right to equal protection under the law, the complaint says.
“The Trump administration’s sweeping campaign of suspicionless stops and warrantless immigration arrests without probable cause is terrorizing New York communities and tearing families apart,” the lawsuit states.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to questions about the lawsuit.
In the first six months of 2025, immigration enforcement officials arrested 2,888 people in and around New York City, more than triple the number in the last six months of the Biden administration, according to the suit. The complaint says the rate of arrests has since increased.
“New Yorkers should be able to go about their daily lives without fear of being targeted by masked federal agents because of the color of their skin," New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement.
Tagged
donald trump
immigration
new york city
public safety
Arun Venugopal
Arun Venugopal is a senior reporter for the WNYC and Gothamist Race & Justice Unit who focuses on issues of race and bias in our region. His reporting also tackles the topics of immigration, faith, and inequality. Arun serves as the regular fill-in host of the station's "U.S. of Anxiety" program. Arun was the creator and host of Micropolis, a series about race and identity. He is a contributor to NPR's Morning Edition and All Things Considered. He has appeared on PBS Newshour, On the Media and Studio 360, and has been published in The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal and Salon. He also frequently serves as an emcee and moderator of panel discussions on race, religion, and identity issues and has been a guest host of NPR's "Fresh Air." He lives with his family in Queens.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Central Park birders, others remember 63-year-old woman killed in park
The NYPD has not publicly identified her. People who knew her said she was an artist and a familiar presence in the Ramble.
By
Charles Lane
Published Sep 28, 2026 at 7:04 p.m. ET
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
News
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
By
Arya Sundaram
A Brooklyn jail cell filled with smoke. The emergency button failed, a lawyer said.
By
Samantha Max
Crews launch tunnel machines to dig first new Hudson River rail tunnels since 1910
By
Michael Sol Warren
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .