Orange County has been clearing out homeless encampments along the Santa Ana River bed for two weeks, but now a federal lawsuit is emerging to stop the evictions and removals of these people, according to OC Register.

On Jan. 29, Elder Law & Disability Rights Center in Santa Ana asked a U.S. District Court to issue a temporary restraining order to allow the hundreds of homeless inhabitants to stay where they are until the county and nearby cities provide a suitable alternative, according to the OC Register.

Within the two weeks of removal, the Orange County Board of Supervisors revealed that they have removed “80 tons of debris,” and “500 needles,” and have allowed “18 individuals to transition to the Courtyard shelter in downtown Santa Ana,” according to the OC Register.

The goal of this lawsuit is to “protect the property of homeless inhabitants.” It is supposed to halt the evictions as well as preventing their home from being taken and destroyed, according to the OC Register. Elder Law & Disability Rights Center’s goal is to force the county and surrounding cities to provide an alternate type of shelter for the 800- 1,200 displaced people. It is also aimed at stopping citations being given to homeless people who are sleeping outdoors in public areas.

Another lawsuit was filed Jan. 29 by the Orange County Catholic worker group and seven homeless people, according to ABC7. The suit claims violations of constitutional protections “by the governments of Orange County” and the surrounding cities of Anaheim, Costa Mesa and Orange, according to ABC7.

During the past few weeks of clean up, Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) Undersheriff Don Barnes said there would be “services and measures in place to help the homeless,” according to ABC7. Barnes said, “We will do everything we can through services, outreach to help people get back home, but we’re not going to come in with a show of force on day one and just start moving people out. At some point, everybody will have to be off the riverbed.”