Federal judge partially reins in ICE surge protests while DOJ calls Minnesota’s broader challenge ‘legally frivolous’
Minnesota, Minneapolis and St. Paul — led by AG Keith Ellison and mayors Kaohly Her and Jacob Frey and joined by Illinois — sued DHS, ICE, Border Patrol and senior officials to halt Operation Metro Surge, alleging political targeting, 10th Amendment and constitutional violations amid reports of more than 2,000 deployed agents and incidents including the killing of Renee Good and other alleged uses of excessive force; U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez declined to stop the sweeps but issued a temporary restraining order barring federal agents from retaliating against, arresting, detaining or using force or chemical agents on peaceful protesters, observers and people recording operations. The Justice Department countered that the broader suit is “legally frivolous,” arguing the state is improperly seeking a veto over federal immigration enforcement, defending the deployments as within federal authority and warning that sanctuary policies have complicated enforcement.
📌 Key Facts
- Minnesota, the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul (with Illinois later joining) filed a federal lawsuit challenging Operation Metro Surge, naming DHS, ICE, Border Patrol and senior officials — including DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, ICE Director Todd Lyons and Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino — and asking for injunctive relief to halt or limit the deployments.
- Plaintiffs say the surge involves at least 2,100–2,000+ federal agents (with reports of an additional 1,000 Border Patrol agents arriving), a force larger than the combined sworn police of Minneapolis and St. Paul, and that the deployments target Minnesota for its diversity and political differences in violation of the 10th Amendment and other constitutional protections.
- The complaint alleges patterns of excessive and potentially lethal force, warrantless and racially targeted arrests, and harmful tactics (including masked/unidentified agents and operations near schools and courthouses); it cites specific incidents such as the killing of Renee Nicole Good, a Border Patrol knee‑to‑the‑face takedown captured on video, and other footage of an immigration officer fatally shooting a woman in Minneapolis as evidentiary support.
- The states and cities sought emergency relief (a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction) to restrict deployments, bar use of local infrastructure, and curb tactics they say endanger communities and disrupt schools, businesses and daily life (students walked out of classes and some restaurants closed amid safety concerns).
- At an initial Jan. 14 telephone hearing U.S. District Judge Eric Tostrud declined to issue an on‑the‑spot injunction and said he would rule from the written record, allowing Operation Metro Surge to continue while briefing proceeded.
- On Jan. 17 U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez issued a targeted temporary restraining order forbidding DHS/ICE/CBP agents from retaliating against, arresting, detaining, using force or chemical irritants on people peacefully protesting, recording, observing or 'safely following' operations; the statewide order protects observers and bystanders but allows arrests when individuals assault officers, actively interfere with arrests, block traffic, or there is probable cause of immigration violations independent of protest activity.
- The court set an expedited briefing schedule: federal defendants were ordered to file their full response by Jan. 19 and the plaintiffs to reply by Jan. 22, with follow‑up hearings to be scheduled promptly.
- The Justice Department responded to Minnesota’s lawsuit calling the challenge 'legally frivolous,' arguing the state misreads the Tenth Amendment, that federal immigration enforcement decisions merit deference under national‑security/foreign‑affairs and enforcement powers, and asserting that so‑called sanctuary policies and an increase in assaults and obstruction against agents have complicated enforcement in the Twin Cities; DHS and administration officials publicly defended the surge and criticized state leaders.
📊 Relevant Data
Somali immigrants in Minnesota commit crimes at a rate two to five times higher than native-born residents when using apples-to-apples comparisons, despite representing about 2% of the population.
Yes, Somali Immigrants Commit More Crime Than Natives — City Journal
Approximately 39 percent of working-age Somalis in Minnesota have no high school diploma, contributing to one in eight children in poverty living in a Somali immigrant home.
Somali Immigrants in Minnesota — Center for Immigration Studies
The Somali population in Minnesota grew to nearly 107,000 by 2024, making it the largest Somali community in the U.S., driven by initial refugee resettlements in the 1990s following the Somali civil war and family reunifications.
ICE strike teams to target Somali nationals in Minnesota: Sources — NewsNation
Assaults on ICE agents increased by 1,153% from January 21 to November 21, 2025, with 238 reported assaults, though many involved few serious injuries.
Attacks on ICE up 1000%? Court records show few serious injuries — Los Angeles Times
Sanctuary policies in Minnesota have been associated with complications in federal immigration enforcement, including increased obstructions and safety risks during operations.
Minnesota's “Sanctuary” Defiance Has Consequences — White House
📰 Source Timeline (15)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
January 20, 2026
12:53 AM
DOJ responds to Minnesota lawsuit over ICE surge: 'Legally frivolous'
New information:
- DOJ’s response brief brands Minnesota’s motion to halt Operation Metro Surge as “legally frivolous” and says the state is effectively seeking an unconstitutional “state veto” over federal law enforcement.
- The filing leans hard on the Tenth Amendment, arguing Minnesota is misreading it and that federal policy can have indirect fiscal or operational effects on states without being unconstitutional.
- DOJ asserts that so‑called “sanctuary” policies in Minnesota have ‘exacerbated dangers’ from undocumented immigrants and says assaults, threats, doxxing and bounties against ICE officers have increased in and around Minneapolis since the surge began.
- The brief claims ICE officers in the Twin Cities are now facing more vehicle block‑ins, aggression and attacks that are “obstructing enforcement operations” and increasing risk to agents and the public.
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.