Posted on 01/31/26
| News Source: FOX45
MINNEAPOLIS (TNND) — A federal judge denied a preliminary injunction sought by Minnesota in a high-profile lawsuit that challenged a federal immigration enforcement operation known as "Operation Metro Surge."
Judge shuts down Minnesota bid to stop Trump's immigration enforcement surge
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi described it as another huge legal win.
"A Biden-appointed district judge denied Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s attempt to keep ICE out of Minnesota," Bondi wrote on X.
"Neither sanctuary policies nor meritless litigation will stop the Trump Administration from enforcing federal law in Minnesota," she added.
The 30-page decision, which was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, marked an early procedural setback for state and local officials who argued the operation violated the U.S. Constitution and disrupted communities across the Twin Cities.
In the complaint, the State of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and Saint Paul tried to block Operation Metro Surge, which began in early December 2025. Plaintiffs argued that the federal sweep, which has deployed thousands of immigration enforcement officers in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area, has exceeded lawful bounds and caused widespread harm to residents and local institutions.
MAPLE GROVE, MINNESOTA - JANUARY 26: Law enforcement stand in formation while dispersing a "Goodbye Bovino Noise Demo" demonstration at the Spring Hill Suites on January 26, 2026 in Maple Grove, Minnesota. The demonstration was ruled as unlawful, leading to several arrests. Protests and demonstrations continue around Minneapolis in the aftermath of the killings of Alex Pretti and Rene Nicole Good by federal law enforcement. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
The lawsuit cited numerous incidents allegedly tied to the operation, including the officer-involved shootings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, as well as enforcement activities that plaintiffs said violated constitutional and statutory limits.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JANUARY 26: Mourners visit a memorial to Alex Pretti on January 26, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Pretti, an intensive care unit (ICU) nurse at a VA medical center, died January 24 after being shot multiple times during an altercation with border patrol agents in the Eat Street district of Minneapolis. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Federal defendants, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and their leadership officials, countered that the surge is a lawful federal law enforcement effort designed to enforce immigration law and arrest individuals subject to removal orders.
In filings, the government estimated that roughly 3,000 federal officers were detailed to Minnesota as part of the operation, a significant increase from typical enforcement staffing levels in the Twin Cities. Defendants argued the surge was targeted at undocumented immigrants subject to final orders of removal and has led to the apprehension of thousands of individuals.
In the order, the judge made clear that the court was not ruling on the ultimate legality of Operation Metro Surge or the merits of plaintiffs’ constitutional claims. Instead, the ruling was strictly tied to whether plaintiffs had met the legal threshold for a preliminary injunction, an extraordinary remedy that would pause federal enforcement activities.
After assessing the evidence and the applicable legal standards, the judge found that state and local officials failed to demonstrate they were entitled to preliminary injunctive relief. The motion was denied, and Operation Metro Surge continues while the lawsuit proceeds.
The denial of the injunction means that federal immigration agencies can carry on with the surge as the legal battle unfolds.