Minnesota, Twin Cities Sue Federal Government, Claim ICE Surge Is Political Retaliation

SAINT PAUL, MN — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul filed a federal lawsuit Monday seeking to halt what they describe as an unprecedented and unlawful surge of federal immigration agents into the Twin Cities.

The lawsuit targets the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and its component agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, and asks a federal court to immediately block "Operation Metro Surge," which has brought thousands of armed federal agents into Minnesota since December.

In addition to seeking a declaration that the operation is unconstitutional, the state and cities are requesting a temporary restraining order, arguing the surge is causing immediate and ongoing harm to public safety, civil liberties, and local government operations.

According to the lawsuit, the surge violates the First and Tenth Amendments, the Constitution’s guarantee of equal sovereignty among states, and the federal Administrative Procedure Act. The plaintiffs argue the operation is not legitimate immigration enforcement but a politically motivated campaign of intimidation and retaliation.

State and city leaders say the deployment has forced local governments to divert law-enforcement and emergency resources, triggered school lockdowns, shuttered businesses, and led to widespread fear across the Twin Cities.

"The unlawful deployment of thousands of armed, masked, and poorly trained federal agents is hurting Minnesota," Ellison said in a statement. "This federal invasion of the Twin Cities has to stop."

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said the city never requested the operation and is now bearing its consequences.

“When federal actions undermine public safety, harm our neighbors, and violate constitutional rights, we have a responsibility to act,” Frey said.

Saint Paul Mayor Kaohly Her said residents are being targeted based on race, appearance, and speech.

“Our residents are scared, and as local officials, we have a responsibility to act,” Her said.

The lawsuit alleges DHS agents have arrested and threatened peaceful bystanders, used force against people engaged in constitutionally protected speech, pointed firearms at individuals who posed no threat, and carried out enforcement actions at sensitive locations such as schools, churches, hospitals, and funeral homes.

The complaint also references the fatal shooting of Renee Good on Jan. 7, which occurred during the surge and has intensified scrutiny of federal enforcement tactics in Minnesota.

State and city officials say the operation has strained public safety resources. Minneapolis police began tracking surge-related overtime on Jan. 7 and reported more than 3,000 overtime hours worked by Jan. 9, with estimated costs exceeding $2 million in just a few days.

The lawsuit further alleges Operation Metro Surge is driven by political retaliation rather than public safety concerns, pointing to statements by Donald Trump criticizing Minnesota as “corrupt” and “crooked” due to its election results.

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Plaintiffs argue immigration enforcement is being used as a pretext, claiming that immigrants "without legal status" make up roughly 1.5 percent of Minnesota’s population, well below the national average, and that states with higher percentages have not seen similar federal deployments.

The filing also challenges claims that the surge is tied to fraud enforcement, arguing immigration agents lack specialized expertise and that Minnesota authorities themselves initiated the state’s largest fraud investigation years earlier with federal cooperation.

In addition to seeking an end to Operation Metro Surge, the lawsuit asks the court to bar DHS agents from engaging in alleged unconstitutional conduct while operating in Minnesota.

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