At a Glance
- A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction barring federal officers in Minnesota from retaliating against peaceful demonstrators.
- The order covers all personnel involved in Operation Metro Surge, the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown that began Dec. 4.
- Agents are barred from using pepper spray, conducting stops without reasonable suspicion, or arresting lawful protesters.
- Why it matters: The ruling protects First Amendment rights amid heightened tensions following the fatal shooting of a protester by an ICE officer.
A federal judge on Friday ordered federal law-enforcement personnel working on Minnesota’s immigration crackdown to stop pepper-spraying, detaining, or pulling over peaceful protesters.
The injunction by U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez applies to every federal agent and officer assigned to Operation Metro Surge. The Trump administration launched the operation Dec. 4 as part of its broader deportation push.
The judge’s order will stay in force until the mission ends or conditions no longer require it.
What the Injunction Prohibits
The ruling explicitly bars federal personnel from:
- Retaliating against people engaged in “peaceful and unobstructive protest activity,” including simply watching Operation Metro Surge operations.
- Detaining or arresting protesters who are otherwise obeying the law.
- Using pepper spray to disperse crowds.
- Stopping vehicles when there is no reasonable suspicion the occupants are interfering with immigration-enforcement work.
The decision stems from a lawsuit the ACLU filed Dec. 17 on behalf of six protesters and legal observers. They allege federal agents violated their constitutional rights-freedom of speech and protection from unreasonable searches and seizures-during immigration sweeps.
According to the suit, plaintiffs have been arrested, detained, pepper-sprayed, and had guns pointed at them.
Defendants Named
The lawsuit names:
- Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem
- Todd Lyons, acting ICE director
- Multiple other Homeland Security officials and agencies
Government Response
Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin defended the agents’ conduct. In an e-mailed statement she said officers “have displayed restraint amid what she characterized as riotous protests.”
“DHS is taking appropriate and constitutional measures to uphold the rule of law and protect our officers and the public from dangerous rioters,” she wrote. “Rioters and terrorists have assaulted law enforcement, launched fireworks at them, slashed the tires of their vehicles, and vandalized federal property.”
McLaughlin added that personnel “have followed their training and used the minimum amount of force necessary to protect themselves, the public, and federal property.”
She did not say whether the administration will appeal.
Broader Crackdown Context
The Trump administration has expanded immigration arrests nationwide, vowing to apprehend hundreds of thousands of people it describes as criminals in the country illegally. High-profile missions have unfolded in San Diego, Los Angeles, New York, and other major cities since last year.
On Thursday President Trump wrote on Truth Social that he would invoke the Insurrection Act if Minnesota leaders fail to control protesters he labeled “professional agitators” and “insurrectionists” who he claims have attacked ICE personnel.
Citing the 1807 law, Trump said he could deploy the military domestically without congressional approval.
Fatal Shooting of Protester
Judge Menendez’s ruling follows the Jan. 7 fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, 37, by an ICE officer in Minneapolis. Federal officials say the officer fired in self-defense, claiming Good tried to run him over with her SUV.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and others have questioned that account. Video and eyewitness accounts reviewed by News Of Philadelphia raise doubts about whether the vehicle posed an immediate threat; key details remain under investigation.
Additional Violence
On Wednesday 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, then he and two others attacked the officer with a snow shovel and broom, prompting “defensive shots.”
Afterward protesters gathered, some yelling and throwing snowballs at agents. Officers deployed flash-bang devices and chemical irritants, video from News Of Philadelphia affiliate KARE shows.
Judge’s Findings
Judge Menendez concluded that plaintiffs “generally participated in protected activity” and were at times subjected to retaliatory action. In one incident multiple plaintiffs were stopped without any cited violation of state traffic law.
She denied the government’s request to pause the order but signaled she could revisit it if either side requests modifications.
“The Court has endeavored to balance the ongoing irreparable harm to Plaintiffs against harm to Defendants from limiting their activities,” she wrote.
Key Takeaways
- Federal officers in Minnesota must immediately halt retaliatory tactics against peaceful demonstrators.
- The injunction underscores escalating conflict between immigration enforcement and local communities.
- Further legal battles-and possible presidential intervention-loom as Operation Metro Surge continues.
