A federal judge declined to pause a Minnesota immigration enforcement surge in Minneapolis and the Twin Cities as a lawsuit filed by state and local leaders continues, setting up the dispute to play out without an immediate court-ordered stop. In a decision issued Saturday, U.S. District Judge Katherine M. Menendez denied a preliminary injunction sought by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison along with the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
The plaintiffs argued that the Department of Homeland Security’s enforcement efforts—described in court as an “Operation Metro Surge” effort—violate constitutional protections, including the 10th Amendment, which limits federal power in a way they said infringes on state sovereignty. They asked the court for a quick order halting the enforcement action or at least narrowing its scope while the case moves forward.
In her ruling, Menendez focused on the likelihood of the lawsuit succeeding on its merits as the key factor for whether to grant emergency relief. She said the court found the evidence supporting both sides’ arguments about motivation and the relative strength of the competing positions was unclear, and that this uncertainty left the court reluctant to conclude that the chance of success favored stopping the surge.
The federal government, including lawyers from the U.S. Department of Justice, opposed the injunction. The government argued that the surge is necessary as part of efforts to take criminal immigrants off the streets, and it said its enforcement work has been hindered by state and local “sanctuary laws and policies.”
State and local officials countered that the surge amounts to retaliation following failed earlier attempts by the federal government to withhold funding to pressure immigration cooperation. They also said the enforcement effort has drained state and local resources, pointing to closures they attributed to aggressive, poorly trained and armed federal officers, according to the reporting of the court record and arguments presented in the case.
Menendez’s decision also drew on recent appellate developments involving an earlier order she had issued limiting the use of force by immigration officers against peaceful protesters. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit had set aside her decision placing those limits last week. Menendez said that if her earlier injunction had gone too far, then halting the entire operation would do so.
Even though she refused to stop the operation, Menendez said the lawsuit nevertheless presented a significant showing of harm. She wrote that the surge is having a “profound and even heartbreaking” effect on Minnesota residents, and her decision referenced multiple shootings of state residents by federal agents. She also said there was evidence the enforcement agencies—ICE and CBP—have engaged in racial profiling, excessive use of force, and other harmful actions.
Reactions came quickly from top officials and local leaders. Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the ruling, calling it “another HUGE” legal win for the Justice Department on X. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said at a separate news conference in Miami that she was “grateful when a court sees that the right thing has been done,” adding that DHS would try to work with local law enforcement and state leadership on its effort.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said he was disappointed, arguing the decision did not change what people in the city have lived through—fear, disruption, and harm he said resulted from a federal operation that never belonged in Minneapolis. Ellison said the case was still in its infancy and that his office would keep pushing the lawsuit, arguing the operation’s presence was meant to intimidate Minnesota and bend the state to federal will in ways he said are unconstitutional under the 10th Amendment.
The enforcement dispute has unfolded as demonstrations continue in Minnesota. The state and local officials and residents said the atmosphere has grown tense after federal officers fatally shot two people in Minneapolis: Renee Good on Jan. 7 and Alex Pretti on Jan. 24. On Saturday in a Minneapolis park, demonstrators described a mix of concern and resignation about the court’s refusal to halt the surge.
Tucker Johnson, a 27-year-old middle school teacher, said the result was not surprising but “it’s awful,” adding that he has seen a significant drop in school attendance since the operation began and that “our students can’t get an education” because they and their families are too scared to attend. Carrie Schmitt-Jost, a 54-year-old nurse, said, “Shame on the judge,” but said it “won’t stop us.”