Minnesota officials have filed a lawsuit against the federal government in an effort to halt the deployment of thousands of immigration enforcement agents across the state, calling the move unconstitutional and politically motivated. The announcement was made Monday by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison during a press conference in St. Paul.
Ellison accused federal authorities of deliberately targeting Minnesota because of its diversity, democratic values, and political disagreements with the current administration. He argued that the scale and intent of the operation violate both the U.S. Constitution and federal law, describing the situation as an unjustified federal overreach.
“This is not law enforcement as usual,” Ellison said. “This is an invasion of the Twin Cities, and it has to stop.”
The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Minnesota and includes the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul as co-plaintiffs. It names officials from the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection as defendants.
Federal officials immediately pushed back. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security accused Ellison of putting politics ahead of public safety, arguing that the surge in immigration agents was necessary due to local policies that limit cooperation with federal enforcement.
The White House echoed that stance, accusing Democratic leaders of protecting undocumented criminals instead of law-abiding citizens. Officials insisted that enforcing federal immigration law is the president’s responsibility, regardless of opposition from state or city leaders.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey strongly criticized the scale of the deployment, calling it wildly disproportionate. He pointed out that the city has roughly 600 local police officers, yet thousands of federal agents were brought in.
“There are situations where dozens of agents are arresting a single individual,” Frey said. “The impact on our city is real. Schools have closed, residents are afraid to go to work or seek medical care, and emergency calls are rising. Our local resources are stretched thin.”
St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her also spoke at the press conference, sharing her personal fears despite being a U.S. citizen. Her family fled Laos when she was a child, and she said the current climate has forced her to carry identification at all times.
“I don’t know when I might be detained,” she said. “That fear should never exist for people living their daily lives.”
The lawsuit comes amid heightened tensions following the killing of Renee Nicole Good during an encounter with an ICE agent earlier this month. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that additional federal officers were being sent to Minnesota following protests over Good’s death.
Federal officials have claimed that Good posed a threat and described the incident as self-defense. State and local leaders strongly dispute that account, calling it misleading and inflammatory. They say Good was attempting to leave the scene and did not intentionally threaten the officer.
Video footage from the incident shows officers ordering Good to exit her vehicle before she begins driving away. Gunshots can be heard, and the vehicle crashes into a parked car shortly afterward.
Minnesota officials have also criticized the federal government for excluding the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension from the investigation into Good’s death. Federal leaders defended the decision, accusing state authorities of failing to protect federal agents from harassment and threats.
The immigration enforcement surge began escalating in December, following renewed national attention on an old fraud case involving members of Minnesota’s Somali community. Conservative commentators reignited the issue, prompting federal authorities to increase operations in the region.
More than 2,000 federal officers were deployed after allegations surfaced against Somali-run daycare centers. State investigations later found no evidence supporting those claims, further fueling criticism of the federal response.
Minnesota is not alone. Illinois filed a similar lawsuit the same day, accusing federal agents of using unlawful and dangerous tactics during immigration operations. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said communities across his state have been terrorized by aggressive federal actions that undermine constitutional rights.
The White House dismissed the Illinois lawsuit as politically driven, accusing Democratic leaders of attacking law enforcement and siding with undocumented immigrants.
As legal battles unfold, Minnesota officials say their priority is protecting civil rights, public safety, and community trust. Federal authorities maintain that enforcing immigration law remains non-negotiable.
The outcome of these lawsuits could shape how immigration enforcement is carried out nationwide — and how far federal power can extend into states that openly oppose it.
