State of Minnesota, Minneapolis and Saint Paul sue to halt ICE surge into Minnesota
[from the City of Minneapolis’ newsletter, dated January 12, 2026]
We, along with the State of Minnesota, and the City of Saint Paul, jointly filed a lawsuit to stop the federal government’s unlawful, unconstitutional, and dangerous federal immigration actions in our state.
We are suing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, ICE, Customs and Border Protection, and senior federal officials responsible for directing the immigration enforcement surge in the metro area.
The lawsuit is about:
Safeguarding the State’s and Cities’ ability to protect their communities’ well-being
Accountability
Basic constitutional protections that the federal government is ignoring
The lawsuit seeks to stop the Trump administration from continuing to violate the law in its immigration enforcement campaign in Minneapolis and across the state.
In the lawsuit, we are asking the court for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) to immediately stop the federal government’s unlawful activity in Minnesota. Federal agents have engaged in a pattern of unlawful conduct targeted to harm the public safety, health and welfare of Minnesota residents.
What does the lawsuit ask for
We are asking the Court to order federal agents to follow the U. S. Constitution, state law, and their own policies.
For federal agents continuing lawful operations in the city, we are calling an end to:
Racial profiling
Excessive force
Enforcement at sensitive locations
Including schools, hospitals, places of worship, courthouses, playgrounds, funerals, and weddings
Retaliation instead of de-escalation against concerned bystanders and witnesses
We are also calling for:
Federal agents to be equipped with body-worn cameras
Follow the U.S. Constitution, state law and their own federal policies
We are not trying to block immigration enforcement altogether. We are trying to stop the unprecedented surge and unlawful enforcement.
How Operation Metro Surge has affected our City
The unconstitutional and dangerous actions of federal immigration enforcement have:
Created chaos
Degraded safety
Violated the civil rights of residents and community members in our city
Depleted law enforcement resources
It is clear that the federal administration does not want to improve public safety in our state. They are engaged in a pattern of behavior designed to disrupt peace, create fear, and inflame.
As a result, state and local law enforcement agencies have been forced to divert resources to de-escalate tensions arising from federal immigration enforcement activities to maintain order and public safety.
What happens next
The court will review our request for immediate relief. In the meantime, the City of Minneapolis will continue doing everything we can to protect public safety and support our neighbors.
Go to the City’s website for the latest information on our federal immigration enforcement response.
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