Minnesota asks federal court to stop ICE from profiling, using 'excessive force'
- - Minnesota asks federal court to stop ICE from profiling, using 'excessive force'
Erin Mansfield and Aysha Bagchi, USA TODAY January 26, 2026 at 9:46 PM
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Officials in Minnesota are asking a federal court to temporarily stop Immigration and Customs Enforcement action they say is unlawful and relies on the use of excessive force and racial profiling.
The state, joined by the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, asked federal Judge Kate Menendez to provide a temporary pause on ICE's activity as part of a larger lawsuit that alleges the Trump administration is violating the state's constitutional right to police its own state.
The lawsuit says federal officers "are engaged in a campaign of racial profiling, excessive force, retaliation, enforcement at sensitive locations, open disregard for and violations of defendants’ own policies, and open disregard for and violations of state law."
has been fatally shot by federal law enforcement in Minneapolis, officials said on Jan. 24. The shooting comes just over two weeks after 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was shot in the head by a federal immigration officer in a residential neighborhood south of downtown. See the scene of a shooting.
" style=padding-bottom:56%>Another person has been fatally shot by federal law enforcement in Minneapolis, officials said on Jan. 24. The shooting comes just over two weeks after 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was shot in the head by a federal immigration officer in a residential neighborhood south of downtown. See the scene of a shooting.
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Another person has been fatally shot by federal law enforcement in Minneapolis, officials said on Jan. 24. The shooting comes just over two weeks after 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was shot in the head by a federal immigration officer in a residential neighborhood south of downtown. See the scene of a shooting.
">Another person has been fatally shot by federal law enforcement in Minneapolis, officials said on Jan. 24. The shooting comes just over two weeks after 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was shot in the head by a federal immigration officer in a residential neighborhood south of downtown. See the scene of a shooting.
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1 / 15Man fatally shot by federal officers in Minneapolis. Photos show the scene
Another person has been fatally shot by federal law enforcement in Minneapolis, officials said on Jan. 24. The shooting comes just over two weeks after 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was shot in the head by a federal immigration officer in a residential neighborhood south of downtown. See the scene of a shooting.
The Department of Homeland Security, the umbrella agency that includes ICE, wrote in court documents that the state of Minnesota is "effectively seeking a state veto over the enforcement of federal law by federal officers. Nothing in the Constitution countenances this absurdity."
A hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. CT.
Minnesota says ICE enforcement is unconstitutional
Minnesota says ICE's enforcement is prohibited under the 10th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, a state sovereignty amendment that gives states and the public all powers that aren't specifically given to the federal government. Among those powers is providing for policing and education, according to the state.
Minnesota says ICE is effectively forcing local law enforcement to clean up "messes" ICE has created, rather than respond to other 911 calls and do their normal work to protect local communities and roadways.
The city of Minneapolis alone has had to pay millions of dollars in overtime to police officers suffering psychological trauma, court documents say. Public schools also canceled multiple days of school for thousands of students due to safety concerns, local authorities said.
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Trump administration says ICE enforcement is lawful
The Trump administration says the surge in Minneapolis, dubbed Operation Metro Surge, led to the arrest of more than 3,000 people who weren't authorized to be in the United States.
"Minnesota is safer because of this project; persons convicted of murder, aggravated assault, domestic abuse, drug trafficking, and other serious crimes have been arrested through this effort," the administration wrote in court documents.
Federal immigration agents are in Minnesota to enforce immigration laws, the administration said, "not to run (or close) schools or enforce Minnesota state law."
What can bring a pause?
In deciding on whether to issue the temporary pause, Menendez will need to consider any potential harm to federal authorities, the likelihood that local authorities will win their lawsuit in the long run, and the public interest.
Minnesota says that the federal government has enforced federal laws for decades before the current immigration enforcement action and "may continue to enforce such laws even with (the) requested injunction in place."
This story has been to add new information.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Minnesota asks court to pause ICE's Operation Metro Surge
Source: “AOL Breaking”
