Minnesota and the Twin Cities sue the federal government to stop the
immigration crackdown
[January 13, 2026]
By REBECCA SANTANA, MARK VANCLEAVE and STEVE KARNOWSKI
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota and its two largest cities sued the Trump
administration Monday to try to stop an immigration enforcement surge
that led to the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by a federal
officer and evoked outrage and protests across the country.
The state, joined by Minneapolis and St. Paul, said the Department of
Homeland Security is violating the First Amendment and other
constitutional protections. The lawsuit seeks a temporary restraining
order to halt the enforcement action or limit the operation.
“This is, in essence, a federal invasion of the Twin Cities in
Minnesota, and it must stop,” state Attorney General Keith Ellison said
at a news conference. “These poorly trained, aggressive and armed agents
of the federal state have terrorized Minnesota with widespread unlawful
conduct.”
Homeland Security is pledging to put more than 2,000 immigration
officers into Minnesota and says it has made more than 2,000 arrests
since December. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has called the surge
its largest enforcement operation ever.
Tension brimmed again Monday, five days after Renee Good was shot in the
head by an ICE officer while behind the wheel of her SUV. From a large
school walkout to emotional visits to a flower-covered memorial for Good
to agents firing tear gas to break up crowds, Minneapolis remained on
edge in the aftermath of the shooting.
There have been dozens of protests or vigils across the U.S. in recent
days to honor the 37-year-old mother of three and to passionately
criticize the Trump administration’s tactics.
Since the deployment in the Twin Cities, whistle-burst warnings by
activists are commonly heard when immigration agents flood streets.
Witnesses have regularly posted video of federal officers using tear gas
to discourage the public from following them.
Feds say they’re protecting the public
The Minnesota lawsuit accuses the Republican Trump administration of
violating free speech rights by focusing on a progressive state that
favors Democrats and welcomes immigrants.
“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,” said St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, who was born in Laos.
In response, Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin accused
Minnesota officials of ignoring public safety.
“President Trump’s job is to protect the American people and enforce the
law — no matter who your mayor, governor, or state attorney general is,"
McLaughlin said. "That’s what the Trump administration is doing; we have
the Constitution on our side on this, and we look forward to proving
that in court.”
The Trump administration has repeatedly defended the immigration agent
who shot Good, saying she and her vehicle presented a threat. But that
explanation has been widely panned by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz,
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and others based on videos of the
confrontation.
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Federal agents get ready to disperse tear gas into a crowd at a
protest, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026 in Minneapolis (AP Photo/Adam Gray)
The government also faces a new lawsuit over a similar immigration
crackdown in Illinois. More than 4,300 people were arrested last
year in “Operation Midway Blitz” as masked agents swept the Chicago
area. The lawsuit by the city and state says the campaign had a
chilling effect, making residents afraid to leave home.
The lawsuit seeks restrictions on certain tactics, among other
remedies. McLaughlin called it “baseless.”
Students walk out of school
Hundreds of students on Monday walked out of Roosevelt High School
in Minneapolis, where federal agents had deployed tear gas on
students and staff last week. Adults wearing safety vests cleared
traffic, and many parents who are Roosevelt alumni showed up in old
school wear.
Marchers held signs that said, “ICE out” and “Welcome to Panem,” a
reference to the dystopian society from the “Hunger Games” book
series.
Agents also fired tear gas to break up a crowd of people who showed
up to see the aftermath of a car crash just a few blocks from where
Good was killed. A crowd emerged to witness a man being questioned
by agents who had rear-ended his car.
“I’m glad they didn’t shoot me or something,” Christian Molina told
reporters.
Standing near his mangled fender, he wondered aloud: “Who’s going to
pay for my car?”
In St. Cloud, 65 miles (104 kilometers) northwest of Minneapolis,
hundreds of people gathered outside a strip of Somali-run businesses
when news spread that dozens of ICE officers were there.
Meanwhile, in Portland, Oregon, federal authorities filed charges
against a Venezuelan national who was one of two people shot there
by U.S. Border Patrol on Thursday. The U.S. Justice Department said
the man used his pickup truck to strike a Border Patrol vehicle and
escape the scene with a woman.
They were shot and eventually arrested. Their wounds were not
life-threatening. The FBI said there was no video of the incident,
unlike the Good shooting.
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Associated Press reporters Ed White in Detroit, Sarah Raza in Sioux
Falls, South Dakota, and Sophia Tareen in Chicago contributed to
this report.
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