Federal Judge Denies Minnesota's Attempt to Block Trump Immigration Operation
A federal judge on Saturday rejected an attempt by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison to block a major surge of federal immigration enforcement under President Trump, ruling that the state is unlikely to succeed in its constitutional challenge.
Judge's Detailed Decision Against Injunction
In a comprehensive 30-page decision, US District Judge Katherine Menendez declined to issue an injunction that would have halted "Operation Metro Surge," a large-scale deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel across Minnesota. The judge's ruling represents a significant setback for state officials seeking to challenge federal immigration policies.
"Plaintiffs ask the Court to extend existing precedent to a new context where its application is less direct," Menendez wrote, referring specifically to the state's 10th Amendment claim. "None of the cases on which they rely have even come close to supporting such an extension in these circumstances."
Serious Concerns Acknowledged But Legal Standard Not Met
While acknowledging that the lawsuit raised serious concerns about potential civil rights violations, including suggestions that federal agents may have engaged in racial profiling or used excessive force, Judge Menendez determined that the legal standard for sweeping preliminary relief had not been satisfied. She emphasized that stopping the operation would significantly harm the federal government's immigration enforcement efforts.
"If that injunction went too far, then the one at issue here — halting the entire operation — certainly would," she added, referencing a separate ICE-related case recently paused by an appeals court. This comparison underscored her reasoning that broader judicial restraint was appropriate in this context.
Background on Judge Katherine Menendez
Katherine Marie Menendez, born in 1971, serves as a US district judge for the District of Minnesota, a position she has held since 2021 after being appointed by former President Joe Biden. Before joining the federal bench, Menendez spent much of her legal career as a public defender, bringing extensive experience in federal criminal defense to her judicial role.
She became an assistant federal defender in 1999 and served in the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Minnesota until 2016, representing defendants in complex federal criminal cases throughout that period. On January 26, 2026, Menendez heard oral arguments in Minnesota's lawsuit against the federal government, just days after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a case that has intensified scrutiny of ICE operations in the state.
Operation Metro Surge and Minnesota Flashpoint
Minnesota has emerged as a significant flashpoint in President Trump's aggressive immigration crackdown. First announced in December, "Operation Metro Surge" has brought nearly 3,000 ICE and CBP personnel into the state, with particular focus on the Minneapolis and St. Paul metropolitan areas.
Public anger escalated dramatically after the January 24 killing of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, during a protest on Nicollet Avenue in south Minneapolis. While federal officials claimed Pretti posed a threat, video footage shows he was not pointing a weapon and appeared to have been disarmed before being shot.
Earlier this month, Renee Good, a mother of three, was also killed during a separate federal enforcement incident. These deaths have sparked nationwide protests and renewed scrutiny of ICE, which recorded 32 deaths in custody in 2025, marking its deadliest year in two decades.
Legal Battle Continues Despite Ruling
Despite Saturday's ruling against the preliminary injunction, Minnesota officials have confirmed that the lawsuit will continue as the case moves forward through the legal system. The state maintains its constitutional challenge to the federal immigration operation, setting the stage for further legal battles over immigration enforcement authority.
The decision represents a temporary victory for federal immigration authorities but leaves open the possibility of future challenges as Minnesota pursues its case through the courts. The ongoing legal conflict highlights the deepening tensions between state and federal authorities over immigration policy implementation.
