Tear gas surrounds federal law enforcement officers as they leave a scene after a shooting on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Minneapolis.
John Locher/AP
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John Locher/AP
MINNEAPOLIS — A judge in Minnesota has ruled that federal officers participating in an immigration enforcement operation cannot detain or use tear gas on peaceful protesters who are not obstructing authorities. The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez on Friday, addresses a case filed on behalf of six Minnesota activists who have been observing Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol officers in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.
The activists, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota, claim that government officers are violating the constitutional rights of Twin Cities residents. The ruling prohibits the officers from detaining individuals without reasonable suspicion and emphasizes that following agents at a safe distance does not justify a vehicle stop.
Menendez is also presiding over a separate lawsuit filed by the state of Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul seeking to suspend the enforcement crackdown. The legal issues in both cases involve high-level constitutional matters, and the judge has called for more briefs to be filed next week.
