Minnesota sues to stop ICE surge in Twin Cities

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has filed a federal lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security and related agencies, seeking to halt what he calls an illegal and unconstitutional surge of federal immigration agents into Minneapolis and St. Paul. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of the state and the two cities, comes after thousands of armed DHS agents descended on the Twin Cities in December 2025 as part of an operation called "Operation Metro Surge."

The action marks an escalating conflict between state and federal authorities over immigration enforcement tactics that Minnesota officials say have spread terror through communities, led to excessive force against innocent people, and strained local police resources to the breaking point.

Background

Operation Metro Surge began in December 2025 when the federal government deployed what officials describe as the largest immigration enforcement operation of its kind. According to the lawsuit, the DHS deployed at least 100 Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents initially, with the numbers later swelling to as many as 2,000 armed agents across the Twin Cities. The operation has continued into January 2026.

The scale of the deployment is staggering. The lawsuit notes that the number of DHS agents deployed exceeds the combined number of sworn police officers working for both Minneapolis and St. Paul. Federal officials have justified the operation as targeting sanctuary jurisdictions and focusing on fraud investigations.

However, the operation has sparked immediate and serious concerns from state and local officials. Minneapolis police began tracking overtime hours related to the increased public safety needs caused by the DHS presence on January 7, 2026. By January 9, just two days later, Minneapolis police officers had already worked more than 3,000 hours of overtime. The estimated cost to taxpayers for overtime between January 8 and January 11 alone exceeded $2 million.

Key Details

Ellison and the cities allege that DHS agents have engaged in a pattern of behavior that violates constitutional protections and federal law. The lawsuit specifically describes incidents where agents have used excessive force against people peacefully exercising their First Amendment rights to protest, arrested innocent bystanders without cause, and pointed firearms at individuals who posed no threat.

"The unlawful deployment of thousands of armed, masked, and poorly trained federal agents is hurting Minnesota. People are being racially profiled, harassed, terrorized, and assaulted. Schools have gone into lockdown. Businesses have been forced to close. Minnesota police are spending countless hours dealing with the chaos ICE is causing. This federal invasion of the Twin Cities has to stop, so today I am suing DHS to bring it to an end," Ellison said.

The lawsuit documents a series of concerning enforcement actions. DHS agents have conducted raids at job sites and businesses, detaining and deporting workers while they performed essential jobs. Reports indicate agents have set up blockades at shopping areas where they demand citizenship information from everyone in passing vehicles, far from any border checkpoint.

The lawsuit also highlights targeting of sensitive locations. DHS agents have conducted enforcement actions at schools, churches, hospitals, medical facilities, places of worship, daycares, and funeral homes. Schools have gone into lockdown due to the enforcement operations.

Much of the concern centers on racial profiling. The lawsuit describes numerous cases where U.S. citizens, many of them people of color, have been detained for hours without reason. One case cited in the lawsuit involves an ICE agent allegedly detaining someone based on accent, with the agent reportedly saying "I can hear you don't have the same accent as me."

The legal challenge rests on several constitutional and statutory grounds. Ellison argues the operation violates the First Amendment by using force against people engaged in protected speech, the Tenth Amendment by commandeering state and local police resources, and the Administrative Procedure Act by acting in an arbitrary and capricious manner.

The Temporary Restraining Order Request

As part of the lawsuit, Ellison and the cities requested an immediate temporary restraining order to halt the operations while the case proceeds. However, a federal judge declined to issue the restraining order on January 14, 2026, asking for further evidence before making a ruling.

What This Means

The lawsuit represents a direct confrontation between state and federal authority over immigration enforcement. Minnesota officials are arguing that federal agents have overstepped their constitutional bounds and that the operation, regardless of its stated purpose, has caused immediate and measurable harm to communities and public safety.

The case will likely turn on questions about the proper scope of federal immigration enforcement, the rights of states to protect their residents from what they view as federal overreach, and whether the tactics employed constitute violations of constitutional protections. The financial impact on local governments is also likely to play a role, with Minnesota officials documenting the substantial overtime costs and disruption to normal police operations.

As the lawsuit moves forward, the operation continues. The outcome could have significant implications not only for Minnesota but for how federal immigration enforcement is conducted in cities across the country.