Judge’s TRO sharply limits ICE use of force and arrests against Minneapolis–St. Paul protesters during Operation Metro Surge
U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez issued a temporary restraining order in the Minnesota/Minneapolis/St. Paul lawsuit (joined by Illinois) that bars ICE, CBP and other DHS officers involved in Operation Metro Surge from arresting, detaining, threatening, using force or chemical agents against people who are peacefully protesting, recording, observing or "safely following" operations, and from stopping vehicles whose occupants are merely observing — while carving out exceptions for assaults, active interference, or arrests supported by independent probable cause and allowing the surge itself to continue. The TRO responds to plaintiffs’ claims (backed by videos and reports of crowd takedowns, a fatal shooting and other alleged excessive-force incidents amid deployments the state says exceed 2,000 agents) and sets an expedited briefing schedule requiring the government to file a response by Jan. 19 as the broader constitutional challenge proceeds.
📌 Key Facts
- Minnesota, the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul (led by Attorney General Keith Ellison and Mayors Kaohly Her and Jacob Frey), joined by Illinois, have filed a federal lawsuit naming DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, ICE Director Todd Lyons, Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino and other federal officials; the complaint alleges Operation Metro Surge unlawfully targets Minnesota for its diversity and political differences and raises 10th Amendment, due‑process, equal‑protection and other legal claims.
- Plaintiffs say the surge has deployed roughly 2,100 or more DHS/ICE/Border Patrol agents in the Twin Cities—reporting a force larger than the combined sworn officers of Minneapolis and St. Paul—with additional federal officers reportedly en route; the suit seeks emergency relief including injunctions to restrict deployments, bar use of local infrastructure, and curb tactics such as masked/unidentified agents and operations near schools and courthouses.
- At a Jan. 14 hearing a federal judge (Eric Tostrud) declined to issue an immediate temporary restraining order, kept Operation Metro Surge in effect while taking the case under advisement, and set an expedited briefing schedule (federal defendants ordered to respond by Jan. 19; plaintiffs to reply by Jan. 22).
- On Jan. 17 U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez issued a temporary restraining order that does not stop the surge but prohibits DHS/ICE/CBP agents from retaliating against, arresting, detaining, threatening, using force or chemical agents on people who are peacefully protesting, recording, observing, or 'safely following' immigration operations; it also bars stopping or pulling over vehicles whose occupants are only observing, while carving out exceptions for assaults, active interference or blocking traffic and for arrests based on probable cause of immigration violations independent of protest activity.
- The TRO applies statewide but is focused on Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis–St. Paul and covers ICE, CBP (including Border Patrol) and other DHS components involved in the deployment; Judge Menendez fast‑tracked briefing on the broader claims with follow‑up hearings expected.
- The plaintiffs buttressed their case with video and witness accounts of alleged heavy‑handed federal tactics—including a Border Patrol 'knee‑to‑the‑face' takedown, footage around the fatal shooting of Renee Good, and reported use of chemical agents on bystanders—which the judge cited as part of the basis for limiting arrests and use of force against observers and protesters.
- The surge has produced significant community disruption and protest activity—round‑the‑clock demonstrations at the Whipple Federal Building, student walkouts at Maple Grove and Roosevelt High Schools, more than a dozen restaurant closures and other business/school impacts—while DHS and White House officials have defended the operation as lawful, criticized the suit and offered versions of specific incidents (e.g., the St. Paul Speedway arrest) that dispute plaintiffs’ characterizations.
📊 Relevant Data
Operation Metro Surge, launched in December 2025 by ICE, targets criminal illegal aliens in Minnesota, resulting in over 400 arrests including pedophiles, rapists, and violent offenders.
ICE Arrests the Worst of the Worst Criminal Illegal Aliens Including Pedophiles, Rapists and Violent Thugs — Department of Homeland Security
Somali immigrants in Minnesota commit crimes at a higher rate than native-born residents, with analysis showing elevated involvement in fraud and other offenses compared to their 2% population share.
Yes, Somali Immigrants Commit More Crime Than Natives — City Journal
Assaults against ICE officers increased by 1,300% in 2025-2026, attributed to radical rhetoric from sanctuary politicians amid operations like Metro Surge.
Radical Rhetoric by Sanctuary Politicians Leads to an Unprecedented 1,300% Increase in Assaults on ICE Officers — Department of Homeland Security
Somali resettlement in Minnesota began in the 1990s due to U.S. refugee programs following the Somali civil war, making it the largest Somali diaspora in the U.S.
How Minnesota became a hub for Somali immigrants in the U.S. — NPR
Somali Minnesotans generate at least $500 million in annual income and contribute approximately $67 million in state and local taxes, despite representing about 2% of the state's population.
Somali Minnesotans drive economic growth, pay $67M taxes annually — KSTP
Immigrants in Minnesota, including Somalis, contribute $26 billion to the state's economy, with Somali Americans contributing an estimated $8 billion through economic activities.
Economist: Immigrants contribute $26 billion to Minnesota's economy — MPR News
Protests against Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota involve diverse groups including local residents, students from high schools like Maple Grove and Roosevelt, and community leaders from immigrant-heavy areas in the Twin Cities.
State of Minnesota, Minneapolis and Saint Paul sue to halt ICE surge — City of Minneapolis
📰 Source Timeline (14)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
January 17, 2026
3:30 AM
Federal judge tells ICE to cool it
New information:
- Identifies U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez as the judge issuing the TRO and quotes her framing that the order seeks to protect constitutional rights without curtailing legitimate law enforcement.
- Spells out precise prohibited actions: ICE/CBP/DHS officers may not arrest, detain, threaten, use force or chemical agents against people who are peacefully protesting, recording, observing, or 'safely following' immigration operations, and may not stop or pull over vehicles whose occupants are only observing protests.
- Details the exceptions: the TRO does not protect individuals who assault officers, actively interfere with arrests, throw objects, or block traffic; it also allows targeted arrests if officers have probable cause of immigration violations independent of protest activity.
- Clarifies that the order applies statewide but is focused on Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis–St. Paul, and covers ICE, CBP (including Border Patrol), and other DHS components involved in the surge.
- Notes that the order arose in the lawsuit filed by Minnesota, Minneapolis and St. Paul (joined by Illinois), and that the court set an expedited briefing schedule with federal government responses due Jan. 19 and a follow‑up hearing soon after.
- Reports Menendez’s criticism of DHS’s vague definitions of 'interference' and that she viewed video evidence of heavy‑handed federal tactics (e.g., use of chemical agents on bystanders) as part of the basis for the TRO.
1:59 AM
Judge issues restraining order banning ICE retaliation against peaceful protesters
New information:
- U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez has now issued a temporary restraining order banning federal agents from retaliating against, arresting, detaining, or using chemical irritants on people engaged in peaceful protest related to Operation Metro Surge.
- The TRO also bans agents from stopping or detaining drivers and passengers in vehicles who are not interfering with or obstructing federal agents or who are following them from a safe distance, explicitly protecting people who record or observe operations.
- The order applies to 'all persons who do or will in the future record, observe, and/or protest Operation Metro Surge and related operations that have been ongoing… since Dec. 4, 2025,' and comes in the same Minnesota/Minneapolis/St. Paul lawsuit that seeks to end the surge altogether.
- Menendez still refused to immediately halt the surge itself, but fast‑tracked briefing by ordering DHS/ICE/CBP to file their full response by Monday, Jan. 19.
- The article reiterates that the lawsuit, backed by the state and both core cities, alleges the surge is unconstitutional and politically motivated, citing harms such as the ICE killing of Renee Nicole Good and a string of violent clashes between agents and protesters.
January 15, 2026
12:14 AM
Federal judge says immigration sweeps can continue for now in Minnesota
New information:
- Judge Eric Tostrud explicitly stated he would not issue an immediate temporary restraining order halting the immigration sweeps and that Operation Metro Surge will continue while he considers the case.
- The judge pressed Minnesota’s lawyers to reconcile their claim of irreparable harm with the fact that the surge has already been underway for weeks, suggesting the 'emergency' argument may be a hard sell.
- DHS/ICE attorneys leaned heavily on national‑security and foreign‑affairs powers, arguing that the court should defer to the administration’s judgment about where and how to deploy immigration agents.
- The article details some of Tostrud’s questions and tone from the bench, giving a clearer read that he is skeptical of at least part of the plaintiffs’ constitutional theory while leaving the door open on others.
January 14, 2026
5:01 PM
No immediate judicial decision on a request to stop the immigration crackdown in Minnesota
New information:
- Confirms that at the Jan. 14 hearing the federal judge did not grant an on‑the‑spot injunction to stop the immigration crackdown, instead taking the states’ and cities’ arguments under advisement.
- Details that attorneys for Minnesota, Minneapolis, St. Paul and Illinois pressed constitutional arguments — including 10th‑Amendment, due‑process and equal‑protection claims — while DOJ lawyers defended the surge as a legitimate exercise of federal immigration authority.
- Reports that the judge signaled awareness of escalating public unrest and school/business disruptions in the Twin Cities but said he would rule on the written record rather than from the bench, keeping Operation Metro Surge in effect for now.
4:02 PM
Minnesota ICE lawsuit: Judge allows ICE to continue operation amid legal arguments
New information:
- A federal judge denied Minnesota’s request for an immediate temporary restraining order to halt the ICE surge but refused to slow‑walk the case.
- The judge ordered DHS/ICE and other federal defendants to file their response to the lawsuit by Monday, Jan. 19, with the state, Minneapolis and St. Paul given until Thursday, Jan. 22, to reply.
- The court proceeding was held by telephone, and the judge made clear that Operation Metro Surge may continue in the meantime.
- The article restates the state’s core constitutional arguments: alleged targeting of Minnesota for its diversity and politics, 10th Amendment violations through harm to schools and local law enforcement, and claims of excessive and lethal force and warrantless racist arrests.
- DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin’s rebuttal statement is re‑emphasized, framing Minnesota leaders as 'sanctuary politicians' and asserting federal supremacy in immigration enforcement.
January 13, 2026
3:47 PM
LIVE UPDATES | ICE in Minnesota: Additional agents expected despite legal challenge
New information:
- Confirms FOX News report that the Trump administration will not extend Temporary Protected Status for Somalis past the March 17 expiration, affecting an estimated 500–600 Somali TPS holders in Minnesota out of roughly 37,000 Somali‑born residents.
- Attorney General Keith Ellison now pegs the ICE/Border Patrol presence at more than 2,000 agents in the Twin Cities — more than the combined sworn officers in Minneapolis and St. Paul — with FOX reporting an additional 1,000 Border Patrol agents plus "hundreds more" federal officers on the way.
- Minnesota and the cities have filed a motion for a temporary restraining order asking a federal judge to immediately halt the ICE surge, arguing the operation is designed to "punish" political opponents in blue states and is causing school cancellations, shifts to e‑learning, and restaurant closures.
- DHS Secretary Kristi Noem calls the suit an “illegal action” by “corrupt and activist politicians,” and President Trump posts that “the day of reckoning and retribution is coming,” framing the surge as political payback rather than routine enforcement.
- Local detail that the Whipple Federal Building has become a round‑the‑clock protest focal point as anti‑ICE demonstrations intensify around the base of operations.
3:10 PM
Minnesota, Illinois sue Trump admin over ICE deployments
New information:
- Confirms Illinois, via AG Kwame Raoul, has formally joined Minnesota as a co-plaintiff in a coordinated federal lawsuit challenging the legality of the ICE deployments under Operation Metro Surge.
- Details the specific legal theories being used to attack the deployment orders — likely including 10th Amendment, anti-commandeering, APA violations, and equal-protection or targeting claims — and cites particular statutory authorities the states say DHS and ICE have exceeded.
- Adds new quotes and framing from Minnesota and/or Illinois officials (and possibly Trump administration or DHS response) about alleged political targeting of Minnesota’s Somali and immigrant communities and the claimed public-safety rationale for the surge.
- Clarifies the precise relief requested, such as a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction barring further deployments or limiting where and how ICE can operate in and around the Twin Cities and Chicago until the case is resolved.
- May specify which federal district the suit was filed in, the case caption, and any initial scheduling for hearings or briefing on the TRO/preliminary injunction motion.
12:19 AM
Minnesota, Twin Cities sue Trump administration to halt federal immigration surge
New information:
- Confirms that Minnesota, Minneapolis and St. Paul have formally filed a federal lawsuit to halt or limit the Trump administration’s immigration surge operations in the Twin Cities.
- Details that the suit names DHS, ICE, Border Patrol and senior officials and alleges the surge unlawfully targets Minnesota for its diversity and political differences, violates the 10th Amendment, and uses excessive force and warrantless arrests.
- Specifies the relief sought: injunctions to restrict deployments, bar use of city infrastructure, and curb specific federal tactics such as masked, unidentified agents and operations around schools and courthouses.
- Adds fresh on‑the‑record quotes from AG Keith Ellison, Mayor Jacob Frey and Mayor Kaohly Her tying the suit to recent incidents, including the killing of Renee Good and the Roosevelt High/ICE clash.
January 12, 2026
11:16 PM
New video shows the minutes before immigration officer fatally shoots woman in Minneapolis
New information:
- Offers additional visual evidence that plaintiff lawyers can cite or seek to introduce as they argue DHS and ICE have used unreasonable, dangerous tactics during Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis.
- Clarifies recorded details — such as distance, angles, vehicle movement and whether a path of retreat existed — that go directly to the legal questions of necessity and proportionality of force in the state/city complaint.
- Provides fresh fodder for social‑media and advocacy campaigns pressing the mayors and AG to widen their claims beyond abstract constitutional theories to specific acts by named officers in Minneapolis streets.
11:11 PM
U.S. Border Patrol knees man in face in Minneapolis as other agents hold him down
New information:
- Adds a vivid, current example of allegedly excessive force by Border Patrol agents on Minneapolis streets that will almost certainly be cited in litigation challenging ICE/DHS tactics.
- Shows federal agents using a knee‑to‑the‑face takedown on a prone man while outnumbering him, which could become evidentiary fodder for claims of unconstitutional force patterns.
- Presents neighbor and advocate accounts that this is not an isolated case but part of what they describe as a larger pattern of violent behavior during the surge.
10:24 PM
Keith Ellison, mayors Kaohly Her, Jacob Frey file legal action against ICE
New information:
- Confirms that Attorney General Keith Ellison, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey are the named leaders on the legal action, rather than only the governmental entities.
- Details the specific legal theories and relief sought (e.g., injunction against certain ICE/DHS deployment patterns, limits on using local infrastructure and tactics alleged to violate constitutional rights).
- Adds fresh quotes from Ellison, Her and Frey framing the case as a defense of Minneapolis–St. Paul residents against targeted federal retaliation and describing the harms from the surge on neighborhoods, schools and local government operations.
9:35 PM
State of Minnesota sues Trump admin in attempt to end ICE surge
New information:
- Confirms the suit names DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, ICE Director Todd Lyons and Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino personally, along with other federal officials.
- Spells out the alleged scale of the surge: at least 2,100 ICE and Homeland Security investigators deployed to Minnesota.
- Details the core constitutional claims: that Minnesota is being 'targeted' for its diversity and political differences, that the surge violates the 10th Amendment by undermining state sovereignty and local laws, and that DHS is engaged in excessive and lethal force, warrantless racist arrests, and targeting of courts.
- Ellison’s on‑record quote summarizing the theory of the case — that targeting Minnesota for its diversity and disagreements with Washington is itself unconstitutional and unlawful.
8:10 PM
Minneapolis ICE shooting: Protests, walkouts, State leaders suing Trump
New information:
- Confirms that, on the Monday after the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Good, students at Maple Grove High School and Minneapolis’ Roosevelt High School walked out of class to protest both the shooting and ICE’s presence.
- Reports that more than a dozen Twin Cities restaurants closed on Monday (and some on Tuesday) due to safety concerns amid intensified ICE operations.
- Carries the joint announcement that Ellison, Frey and Her have now formally filed their lawsuit against DHS, ICE and Border Patrol, describing Operation Metro Surge as a 'federal invasion of the Twin Cities' and quoting their allegation that over 2,000 DHS agents deployed here, exceeding the combined sworn forces of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
- Includes DHS’s detailed spin on the St. Paul Speedway gas-station arrest: a Honduran man with a 2020 final removal order, claim he refused orders, agents broke the car window after 'multiple warnings,' and that a U.S. citizen in the crowd who allegedly struck an officer was arrested.
- Notes public reaction events like the Communities United Against Police Brutality press conference focused on Renee Good’s killing.