A federal judge is scheduled to hear crucial arguments on Monday regarding whether to temporarily halt a controversial immigration crackdown in Minnesota, following two fatal shootings by government officers that have intensified legal and political tensions.
Legal Challenge to Operation Metro Surge
The state of Minnesota, alongside the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, initiated a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security earlier this month. This legal action came just five days after the shooting of Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer. The subsequent fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol officer on Saturday has injected further urgency into the proceedings.
Expanded Requests from State and Cities
Since the original filing, the plaintiffs have substantially expanded their legal request. They are seeking to restore conditions to those that existed prior to the Trump administration's launch of Operation Metro Surge on December 1. The hearing is set for Monday morning at the federal courthouse in Minneapolis, with Democratic Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison confirming his personal attendance.
The legal team is asking U.S. District Judge Kathleen Menendez to order federal law enforcement agencies to reduce their officer and agent numbers in Minnesota to pre-surge levels. This would occur while still permitting immigration law enforcement within a comprehensive list of proposed limitations.
Justice Department Opposition and Broader Implications
Justice Department attorneys have dismissed the lawsuit as legally frivolous, asserting that Minnesota wants a veto over federal law enforcement. They have requested the judge to reject the petition or, at minimum, stay any order pending an anticipated appeal.
Attorney General Ellison emphasized at a Sunday news conference that the lawsuit addresses the unprecedented nature of this surge, describing it as a novel abuse of the Constitution. He noted that no one can remember a time when we've seen something like this.
National Support and Judicial Context
The case carries significant implications for other states that have faced or might become targets of intensive federal immigration enforcement operations. Attorneys general from 19 states and the District of Columbia, led by California, have filed a friend-of-the-court brief supporting Minnesota's position. They warned that if left unchecked, the federal government will no doubt be emboldened to continue its unlawful conduct in Minnesota and to repeat it elsewhere.
Judge Menendez previously ruled in a separate case on January 16 that federal officers in Minnesota cannot detain or use tear gas against peaceful protesters who are not obstructing authorities, including observers. An appeals court temporarily suspended that ruling three days before Saturday's shooting. However, plaintiffs represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota requested an emergency order lifting the stay following Pretti's killing. The Justice Department countered on Sunday, arguing the stay should remain, calling the injunction unworkable and overly broad.
Parallel Legal Action and Evidence Preservation
In a related development, another federal judge, Eric Tostrud, issued an order late Saturday blocking the Trump administration from destroying or altering evidence connected to Saturday's shooting. This order, requested by Ellison and Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, aims to preserve evidence collected by federal officials that state authorities have not yet examined. A hearing in this separate case is scheduled for Monday afternoon at the federal courthouse in St. Paul.
Ellison expressed profound concern to reporters, stating, The fact that anyone would ever think that an agent of the federal government might even think about doing such a thing was completely unforeseeable only a few weeks ago. But now, this is what we have to do.
It remains unclear when Judge Menendez might issue a ruling following Monday's hearing, as the legal and political stakes continue to escalate.
