Federal Court Denies Minnesota Request to Halt Large Scale Immigration Enforcement Operation
A federal district judge ruled on Saturday that "Operation Metro Surge" can continue in the Twin Cities despite objections from local leaders. The decision rejects a request from state officials to pause the aggressive immigration enforcement campaign, the lawsuit proceeds while agents remain active across Minnesota communities.
Two Months of Federal Operations Spark Legal Battle in Twin Cities
The legal confrontation stems from the December 2025 launch of a massive Department of Homeland Security initiative known as Operation Metro Surge. This campaign represents the largest immigration enforcement effort in history, it involves thousands of federal agents who reportedly outnumber local police officers by a five-to-one margin. State officials characterize the presence as a federal invasion, they argue the tactics used by Customs and Border Protection disrupt public safety. Local leaders have spent weeks documenting alleged civil rights abuses, this created the foundation for the state’s request for immediate judicial intervention to protect residents.
Judge Menendez Rejects Emergency Injunction Request on Saturday
U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez issued a ruling on Saturday that declines to stop federal agents from continuing their work. She denied the motion for a temporary restraining order filed by the State of Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The judge acknowledged the plaintiffs presented strong evidence of "heartbreaking consequences" for residents, this includes reports of racial profiling and the deaths of two U.S. citizens named Renee Good and Alex Pretti during operations.
Legal Precedents Limit Judicial Options
Menendez explained that a recent decision by a federal appeals court limited her ability to act. That higher court overturned a much narrower restriction on agent behavior regarding protesters, this signaled that a broad halt to the entire operation would likely be overturned as excessive. Consequently, the enforcement actions will proceed while the court considers the full merits of the lawsuit regarding the legality of the federal tactics.
Immigrant Communities Prepare for Continued Federal Enforcement Actions
The ruling means federal agents will maintain their high-visibility presence throughout the state without immediate legal restrictions. Immigrant communities and local businesses face ongoing disruption, reports indicate school attendance has plummeted while emergency response times suffer due to the heavy federal footprint. Attorney General Keith Ellison emphasized that this ruling is only procedural, he vowed to continue the broader litigation to hold the administration accountable for alleged constitutional violations.
Protests and community neighborhood watches are expected to escalate in response to the court decision. Legal experts anticipate a lengthy battle as the state tries to prove the federal operation is motivated by political animus rather than legitimate law enforcement goals.
