A. Rahman
The legal battle centers on Operation Metro Surge, a large‑scale immigration enforcement campaign ordered by the Trump administration. Minnesota’s attorney general, Keith Ellison, along with the mayors of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, argued in federal court that the surge of roughly 3,000 immigration officers violated the Tenth Amendment by encroaching on state authority and caused real harm to everyday life in the Twin Cities. The lawsuit claimed the presence and tactics of federal agents disrupted schools, scared residents and strained local resources.
U.S. District Judge Katherine M. Menendez heard arguments from both sides but concluded that Minnesota had not demonstrated a clear likelihood of success on the constitutional claims. According to her ruling, stopping the surge before the full case runs its course would go too far, particularly given an appellate court’s recent decision that limited earlier judicial restrictions on immigration enforcement tactics in the region.
State and local officials have repeatedly highlighted what they say are troubling consequences of the operation, including racial profiling, excessive use of force by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents, and two fatal shootings involving federal agents. Those incidents, widely shared in video footage, sparked protests and calls for accountability across Minnesota and the United States.
Federal lawyers countered that the operation is a lawful exercise of immigration enforcement authority and necessary to remove criminal offenders from the streets. They dismissed the lawsuit as lacking legal merit and defended the use of federal resources. Judge Menendez’s decision to deny immediate relief reflected that split, as she acknowledged ongoing tensions and serious concerns but said the court could not grant an injunction at this early stage of the litigation.
The legal fight will continue as Minnesota and the cities pursue their case in federal court. Meanwhile, the immigration surge remains in place across Minneapolis and Saint Paul, keeping ICE and CBP agents on the ground. Minnesota’s leaders have vowed to keep pushing their arguments, and local protests and political pressure show little sign of fading.
A federal judge in Minnesota on Saturday refused to immediately stop the massive deployment of federal immigration agents in the state, rejecting a request from Minnesota officials and local city leaders who called the operation unconstitutional and harmful to local communities. The ruling deals a setback to state efforts to rein in what they characterize as a political and legal overreach.
The legal battle centers on Operation Metro Surge, a large‑scale immigration enforcement campaign ordered by the Trump administration. Minnesota’s attorney general, Keith Ellison, along with the mayors of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, argued in federal court that the surge of roughly 3,000 immigration officers violated the Tenth Amendment by encroaching on state authority and caused real harm to everyday life in the Twin Cities. The lawsuit claimed the presence and tactics of federal agents disrupted schools, scared residents and strained local resources.
U.S. District Judge Katherine M. Menendez heard arguments from both sides but concluded that Minnesota had not demonstrated a clear likelihood of success on the constitutional claims. According to her ruling, stopping the surge before the full case runs its course would go too far, particularly given an appellate court’s recent decision that limited earlier judicial restrictions on immigration enforcement tactics in the region.
State and local officials have repeatedly highlighted what they say are troubling consequences of the operation, including racial profiling, excessive use of force by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents, and two fatal shootings involving federal agents. Those incidents, widely shared in video footage, sparked protests and calls for accountability across Minnesota and the United States.
Federal lawyers countered that the operation is a lawful exercise of immigration enforcement authority and necessary to remove criminal offenders from the streets. They dismissed the lawsuit as lacking legal merit and defended the use of federal resources. Judge Menendez’s decision to deny immediate relief reflected that split, as she acknowledged ongoing tensions and serious concerns but said the court could not grant an injunction at this early stage of the litigation.
The legal fight will continue as Minnesota and the cities pursue their case in federal court. Meanwhile, the immigration surge remains in place across Minneapolis and Saint Paul, keeping ICE and CBP agents on the ground. Minnesota’s leaders have vowed to keep pushing their arguments, and local protests and political pressure show little sign of fading.
Summary:
A federal judge has denied Minnesota’s request to immediately stop the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operation in the Twin Cities. State officials say the deployment of thousands of federal agents violated constitutional limits and caused community harm, but the court found the evidence insufficient for an injunction. The lawsuit will continue, but the immigration surge remains active as legal arguments progress.
