At a Glance
- A federal judge ordered federal agents to stop detaining or pepper-spraying peaceful protesters in Minnesota.
- The injunction applies to Operation Metro Surge, the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown that began Dec. 4.
- Federal officers are barred from retaliating against demonstrators or stopping vehicles without reasonable suspicion.
- Why it matters: The ruling protects First Amendment rights amid heightened tension after an ICE officer fatally shot a protester on Jan. 7.
A U.S. judge on Friday barred federal law-enforcement personnel involved in Minnesota’s immigration surge from using force or detention against peaceful demonstrators, delivering a courtroom victory to protesters who say agents have trampled on their constitutional rights.
Judge Issues Sweeping Injunction
The preliminary injunction, signed by Judge Katherine Menendez of the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, forbids federal agents and officers participating in Operation Metro Surge from:
- Arresting or detaining people solely for protesting
- Deploying pepper spray to disperse crowds
- Conducting traffic stops without reasonable suspicion that occupants are interfering with immigration enforcement
- Retaliating against individuals who peacefully observe or protest the operation
The order remains in force “until the mission concludes or conditions are such that it is no longer needed,” Menendez wrote.
Operation Metro Surge, launched Dec. 4, is part of the Trump administration’s broader push to arrest and deport hundreds of thousands of people the White House describes as immigrant criminals. Similar high-profile raids have been carried out in San Diego, Los Angeles, New York and other major cities.
Lawsuit Sparks Court Action
The American Civil Liberties Union filed suit Dec. 17 on behalf of six protesters and legal observers who claim federal officers violated their First and Fourth Amendment rights. According to court documents, plaintiffs were subjected to:
- Arrest and detention
- Pepper-spraying
- Having firearms pointed at them
The complaint names Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons and several other department officials as defendants.
Friday’s ruling sided with the plaintiffs, finding they “generally participated in protected activity” and were at times met with retaliatory enforcement. In one example, multiple plaintiffs were pulled over without any cited violation of state traffic law.
Menendez denied the government’s request to pause the injunction but indicated she is open to future modifications by either side. “The Court has endeavored to balance the ongoing irreparable harm to Plaintiffs against harm to Defendants from limiting their activities,” she wrote.
Department Defends Tactics
Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin defended officers’ conduct, saying personnel “have displayed restraint amid riotous protests.”
In a statement she said:
- “DHS is taking appropriate and constitutional measures to uphold the rule of law”
- Rioters have “assaulted law enforcement, launched fireworks at them, slashed tires and vandalized federal property”
- Agents “used the minimum amount of force necessary to protect themselves, the public and federal property”
McLaughlin did not say whether the administration will appeal the ruling.
Tensions Escalate After Shooting
The court decision follows the Jan. 7 fatal shooting of 37-year-old protester Renee Nicole Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis. Federal officials claim Good attempted to run the officer over with her SUV, prompting lethal force in self-defense.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and other local leaders have questioned that account. Video reviewed by News Of Fort Worth and eyewitness statements raise doubts about whether the vehicle posed an immediate threat; key details remain under investigation.
Hours before the injunction, President Trump posted on Truth Social that he is prepared to invoke the Insurrection Act if state officials fail to control what he labeled “professional agitators” and “insurrectionists” attacking ICE personnel. Using the 1807 statute would allow him to deploy U.S. military forces domestically without congressional approval.
“The officers and agents are only trying to do their job,” Trump wrote.
Flash-Bang Devices on Display
Tensions continued Wednesday when a federal officer shot a Venezuelan man in the leg during an attempted traffic stop. According to the Department of Homeland Security:
- The man fled and allegedly attacked the officer with a snow shovel and a broom
- Two companions joined the confrontation
- The officer fired “defensive shots,” wounding the man
Afterward, protesters gathered, some throwing snowballs at agents. Video from KARE shows officers deploying flash-bang devices and chemical irritants.
Key Takeaways
- The injunction immediately restricts how federal agents police demonstrators during immigration raids.
- It underscores growing judicial scrutiny of the administration’s deportation surge and its impact on civil liberties.
- With the president threatening military intervention and local leaders demanding accountability, the standoff in Minnesota shows no sign of cooling.
Anna Sundberg and Ryan J. Reilly contributed.
