At a Glance
- A federal judge paused Minnesota’s immigration crackdown and gave the Justice Department until Monday to respond to a restraining-order request.
- Over 2,000 arrests have been made since early December, sparking nightly protests after ICE officer Jonathan Ross fatally shot Renee Good on Jan. 7.
- The Pentagon is preparing to send 25 military lawyers to Minneapolis to support the surge, drawing criticism that the military justice system will be stretched thin.
- Why it matters: The standoff between federal agents and local leaders has escalated into a constitutional showdown over free-speech rights and police tactics on city streets.
A federal judge on Wednesday hit pause on the Trump administration’s immigration dragnet in Minnesota, ordering the U.S. Justice Department to file court papers by Monday defending its tactics amid nightly clashes between ICE agents and protesters.
U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez told attorneys she will keep the case “on the front burner” after Minnesota, Minneapolis and St. Paul sued, arguing the surge violates constitutional rights. The judge gave federal lawyers five days to respond to the cities’ request for a temporary restraining order.
“These are grave and important matters,” Menendez said, noting that few legal precedents exist for the key questions in the case.
Nightly chaos in Minneapolis
Downtown Minneapolis has become a flashpoint. Plumes of tear gas, chemical irritants and protest whistles now fill the streets after an ICE officer shot Renee Good, a 38-year-old Minneapolis woman, in the head on Jan. 7 as she drove away from agents.
Bystander video shows three ICE officers surrounding Good’s Honda Pilot on a snowy residential block. One officer yanks the door handle and orders her to exit. When the SUV inches forward, officer Jonathan Ross steps in front, raises his weapon and fires at least three shots at close range. Good’s vehicle then crashes into nearby cars; she died at the scene.
Agents have since yanked people from cars and homes, prompting angry crowds to demand officers leave neighborhoods.
“What we need most of all right now is a pause. The temperature needs to be lowered,” said Brian Carter, Minnesota assistant attorney general, during the first hearing in the lawsuit.
Governor calls it “organized brutality”
During a televised address Wednesday evening, Gov. Tim Walz described Minnesota as being in chaos.
“Let’s be very, very clear, this long ago stopped being a matter of immigration enforcement,” Walz said. “Instead, it’s a campaign of organized brutality against the people of Minnesota by our own federal government.”
Walz added that accountability will come “through the courts” and revealed the Trump administration has denied the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension any role in investigating Good’s death.
Military lawyers tapped for surge
As protests intensify, the Pentagon is preparing to send 25 military lawyers to Minneapolis. According to an email circulating in the Defense Department, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has asked each service branch to identify 40 judge advocate general officers; 25 will be appointed special assistant U.S. attorneys to bolster federal prosecutions.
Pentagon spokesperson Kingsley Wilson appeared to confirm the plan by posting the CNN report on X and stating the military “is proud to support” the Justice Department.
The move follows a similar deployment last week when 20 military lawyers were dispatched to Memphis, according to U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant.
Concern over thinning legal ranks
Mark Nevitt, an associate professor at Emory University School of Law and former Navy JAG, warned the assignments could strain the military justice system.
“There are not many JAGs but there are over one million members of the military, and they all need legal support,” Nevitt said.
Agent’s injuries under scrutiny
A Homeland Security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Megan L. Whitfield that Jonathan Ross sustained internal bleeding to his torso during the encounter with Good. The official provided no details about severity, diagnosis or treatment.
Video from the scene shows Ross walking without obvious difficulty after the shooting. Internal bleeding can range from minor bruising to life-threatening blood loss.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has claimed Ross was struck by Good’s SUV and that she used the vehicle as a weapon, a self-defense justification Minnesota officials have sharply criticized.
Chris Madel, Ross’s attorney, declined to comment on any injuries.
Family hires George Floyd lawyers
Good’s relatives retained Romanucci & Blandin, the firm that secured a $27 million settlement for George Floyd’s family. The firm says Good was following orders to move her car when she was shot and will conduct its own investigation.
“They do not want her used as a political pawn,” the firm said, “but rather as an agent of peace for all.”
Students walk out in St. Paul
Hundreds of teenagers waved signs reading “Love Melts ICE” and “DE-ICE MN” as they left St. Paul schools and marched to the state Capitol in sub-freezing temperatures.
The University of Minnesota, with 50,000-plus students, told the campus community that some classes may shift online when the new term starts next week. President Rebecca Cunningham wrote that “violence and protests have come to our doorstep,” noting the campus borders the city’s main Somali neighborhood.
Separate lawsuit looming
Judge Menendez is also presiding over a second lawsuit challenging ICE tactics when agents confront protesters and observers. A decision in that case could be released this week.
Justice Department attorney Andrew Warden told the court the judge’s timetable was appropriate given the stakes involved.
Key Takeaways
- Federal judge pauses ICE surge, sets Monday deadline for DOJ response
- Over 2,000 arrests since December, sparking mass protests
- Pentagon sending 25 military lawyers, raising civil-liberties concerns
- Renee Good’s family vows independent probe as demonstrations spread from streets to campuses
