Minnesota SUES Trump Admin to Stop Immigration Crackdown

The state of Minnesota along with the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul have now launched a lawsuit against the federal government in an attempt to stop the surge of immigration authorities.

The lawsuit argues that the crackdown on illegal immigration is an “invasion of the Twin Cities.”

The U.S. state of Minnesota is suing the Trump administration over its widespread immigration operations, arguing it's become to "a federal invasion of the Twin Cities." – lawsuit pic.twitter.com/OAjqVbJwgo

— AZ Intel (@AZ_Intel_) January 12, 2026

A press release from the City of Minneapolis provided more details on the lawsuit:

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, on behalf of the state and alongside the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, filed a federal lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and related agencies and officials, asking the court to end the unprecedented surge of DHS agents into the state and declare it unconstitutional and unlawful. They also ask the court for a temporary restraining order, citing the immediate harm the state and cities are facing.

In December 2025, the federal government initiated “Operation Metro Surge,” during which thousands of armed and masked DHS agents — including from Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) — have stormed the Twin Cities to conduct militarized raids and carry out dangerous, illegal, and unconstitutional stops and arrests, all under the guise of lawful immigration enforcement. DHS agents have brazenly and repeatedly deployed excessive force against the people of Minnesota, spreading terror throughout the Twin Cities and beyond.

This surge has resulted in tangible harm to the state of Minnesota and its people, as well as the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. As a result of this surge, municipalities have been forced to divert local law enforcement resources away from their normal public safety duties, emergency responder resources have been strained, schools have been forced into lockdowns and closures, businesses have been forced to close, and the rights of Minnesotans have been violated time and time again.

The State and the cities allege the surge amounts to a violation of the First and Tenth Amendments of the Constitution, as well as the Constitution’s guarantee of equal sovereignty between state and federal governments. They also allege the surge violates the Administrative Procedure Act.

The State and the cities seek an end to Operation Metro Surge and the deployments of thousands of DHS agents to Minnesota, as well as an end to the unlawful behaviors of DHS agents within the state, including but not limited to:

using force against individuals peacefully engaging in constitutionally protected speech;
arresting, threatening and using force against innocent bystanders;
pointing firearms at individuals who pose no threat to DHS agents; and
carrying out enforcement actions at sensitive locations like schools, churches, hospitals.

“The unlawful deployment of thousands of armed, masked, and poorly trained federal agents is hurting Minnesota,” said Attorney General Ellison. “People are being racially profiled, harassed, terrorized, and assaulted. Schools have gone into lockdown. Businesses have been forced to close. Minnesota police are spending countless hours dealing with the chaos ICE is causing. This federal invasion of the Twin Cities has to stop, so today I am suing DHS to bring it to an end.”

“Minneapolis didn’t ask for this operation, but we’re paying the price,” said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. “When federal actions undermine public safety, harm our neighbors, and violate constitutional rights, we have a responsibility to act. That’s exactly what we’re doing today.”

“Federal law enforcement’s occupation of our city is putting us all at risk,” said Saint Paul Mayor Kaohly Her. “They’ve come into Saint Paul and needlessly invaded our neighborhoods and homes; they’re targeting us based on what we look and sound like. Our residents are scared, and as local officials, we have a responsibility to act. Today we’re standing side by side with Minneapolis and the Attorney General to fight back.”