By STEVE KARNOWSKI, Related Press
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A federal choose heard arguments Monday over Minnesota’s problem to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement crackdown, posing skeptical inquiries to each side concerning the effort that has led to two deadly shootings by federal officers.
U.S. District Choose Katherine Menendez is contemplating whether or not to grant requests by the state and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul to briefly halt the immigration operation. She stated the case was a precedence, although she issued no quick ruling.
Menendez questioned the federal government’s motivation behind the crackdown and expressed skepticism a couple of letter not too long ago despatched by Lawyer Common Pam Bondi to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. The letter requested the state to present the federal authorities entry to voter rolls, to show over state Medicaid and meals help information, and to repeal sanctuary insurance policies.
“I mean, is there no limit to what the executive can do under the guise of enforcing immigration law?” Menendez requested. She famous that the federal requests are the topic of litigation.
Legal professionals for the state and the Twin Cities argued that the scenario on the road is so dire as to require the court docket to halt the federal authorities’s enforcement actions.
“If this is not stopped right here, right now, I don’t think anybody who is seriously looking at this problem can have much faith in how our republic is going to go in the future,” Minnesota Assistant Lawyer Common Brian Carter stated.
A federal agent stands guard close to a resort throughout a noise demonstration protest in response to federal immigration enforcement operations within the metropolis Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Picture/Adam Grey)
A person, heart left, subsequent to a Minneapolis police officer grabs a protester within the doorway throughout a noise demonstration protest in response to federal immigration enforcement operations within the metropolis Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Picture/Adam Grey)
Federal brokers attempt to clear demonstrators close to a resort, utilizing tear gasoline throughout a noise demonstration protest in response to federal immigration enforcement operations within the metropolis Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Picture/Adam Grey)
Lawyer Common Keith Ellison, proper, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz give a information convention in Blaine, Minn., Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Picture/Abbie Parr)
Lawyer Common Keith Ellison speaks throughout a information convention in Blaine, Minn., Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Picture/Abbie Parr)
A federal agent factors a weapon at an individual exterior a resort throughout a noise demonstration protest in response to federal immigration enforcement operations within the metropolis Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Picture/Adam Grey)
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A federal agent stands guard close to a resort throughout a noise demonstration protest in response to federal immigration enforcement operations within the metropolis Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Picture/Adam Grey)
Increase
Brantley Mayers, counsel to the Justice Division’s assistant legal professional basic, stated the federal government’s aim is to implement federal regulation. Mayers stated one lawful motion shouldn’t be used to discredit one other lawful motion.
“I don’t see how the fact that we’re also doing additional things that we are allowed to do, that the Constitution has vested us with doing, would in any way negate another piece of the same operation, the same surge,” Mayers stated.
Menendez questioned the place the road was between violating the Structure and the chief’s energy to implement the regulation. She additionally requested whether or not she was being requested to resolve between state and federal insurance policies.
“That begins to feel very much like I am deciding which policy approach is best,” she stated.
At one level, whereas discussing the prospect of federal officers getting into residences and not using a warrant, the choose expressed reluctance to resolve points not but raised in a lawsuit earlier than her.
“I can’t be the global keeper of all things here. Like, presumably that will be litigated,” she stated to the state’s legal professional.
The state of Minnesota and the cities sued the Division of Homeland Safety earlier this month, 5 days after Renee Good was shot by an Immigration and Customs officer. The taking pictures of Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol officer on Saturday added urgency to the case.
Border czar to Minnesota
In different developments, President Donald Trump stated he had a “very good” name with Walz concerning the newest taking pictures and that they’re now on a “similar wavelength.” It was an abrupt shift from Trump, who incessantly derides Walz for his actions on immigration points in Minnesota.
For the reason that authentic court docket submitting, the state and cities have considerably added to their request in an effort to revive the circumstances that existed earlier than the administration launched Operation Metro Surge on Dec. 1.
The lawsuit asks the choose to order a discount within the variety of federal regulation enforcement officers and brokers in Minnesota again to the extent earlier than the surge and to restrict the scope of the enforcement operation.
Justice Division attorneys have known as the lawsuit “legally frivolous” and stated Minnesota “wants a veto over federal law enforcement.” They requested the choose to reject the request or to no less than keep her order pending an anticipated attraction.
Democratic Minnesota Lawyer Common Keith Ellison stated Sunday that the lawsuit is required due to “the unprecedented nature of this surge. It is a novel abuse of the Constitution that we’re looking at right now. No one can remember a time when we’ve seen something like this.”
Different state implications
The case has implications for different states which have been or might turn into targets of ramped-up federal immigration enforcement operations. Attorneys basic from 19 states plus the District of Columbia, led by California, filed a friend-of-the-court transient supporting Minnesota.
“If left unchecked, the federal government will no doubt be emboldened to continue its unlawful conduct in Minnesota and to repeat it elsewhere,” the attorneys basic wrote.
Menendez dominated in a separate case on Jan. 16 that federal officers in Minnesota can’t detain or tear gasoline peaceable protesters who are usually not obstructing authorities, together with individuals who observe and observe brokers.
An appeals court docket briefly suspended that ruling three days earlier than Saturday’s taking pictures. However the plaintiffs in that case, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota, requested the appeals court docket late Saturday for an emergency order lifting the keep in mild of Pretti’s killing.
The Justice Division argued in a reply filed Sunday that the keep ought to stay in place, calling the injunction unworkable and overly broad.
In one more case, a unique federal choose, Eric Tostrud, issued an order late Saturday blocking the Trump administration from “destroying or altering evidence” associated to Saturday’s taking pictures. Ellison and Hennepin County Lawyer Mary Moriarty requested for the order to attempt to protect proof collected by federal officers that state authorities haven’t but been capable of examine.
A listening to in that case is scheduled for Monday afternoon in federal court docket in St. Paul.
“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,” Ellison advised reporters. “But now, this is what we have to do.”
Related Press writers Jack Brook in Minneapolis and Mike Catlaini in Trenton, New Jersey, contributed to this report.
Correction: This story has been corrected to indicate the choose’s title is Katherine Menendez, not Kathleen.
