Federal Judge Refuses to Block ICE Surge in Minnesota Amid Protests

Sun Feb 01 2026 06:51:15 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A federal district judge has denied a request from Minnesota state officials to block the Trump administration's deployment of 3,000 federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, finding no legal basis for the challenge despite recognizing the operation's profound negative impact.

In a recent ruling, US District Court Judge Katherine Menendez denied Minnesota's request to halt the surge of ICE agents, citing insufficient evidence of illegality. This decision comes as protests erupt nationwide over the recent deaths of citizens due to federal actions. Critics of the operation claim it violates state sovereignty, while ICE insists they are targeting criminal illegal aliens. Public outcry continues to grow as Minnesota officials and residents demand the withdrawal of federal agents.

A federal judge on Saturday denied a state government request to block the Trump administration's deployment of thousands of federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

In a ruling, District Court Judge Katherine Menendez said the immigration enforcement operation has had, and will likely continue to have, profound and even heartbreaking consequences on the State of Minnesota. However, she stated that state officials did not prove the surge of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents was unlawful.

The ruling comes amid nationwide protests following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal agents, including the recent deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Demonstrators are expected to gather in Minneapolis, with protests also taking place in cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., calling for a 'National Shutdown' to send a message against ICE funding.

Earlier on Friday, the U.S. Justice Department opened a civil rights investigation into Pretti's death, the second instance of a Minneapolis resident being killed by ICE agents since their deployment to the state.

In her decision, Judge Menendez noted evidence of racial profiling and excessive use of force by ICE agents but ultimately ruled that the state failed to provide a clear metric to determine when lawful law enforcement transitions into unlawful commandeering.

The nationwide protests, organized to oppose recent federal actions, have led critics to argue that innocent migrants and citizens are being caught up in ICE's campaign to arrest the 'worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens'.

During a recent news conference, border tsar Tom Homan suggested a willingness to withdraw federal forces should local officials cooperate, reflecting ongoing tensions related to the deployment of approximately 3,000 agents to Minnesota.