Minneapolis and St. Paul officials have taken a significant step in their opposition to federal immigration enforcement. Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis, along with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration. Their goal is to halt the deployment of over 2,000 federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) who have been active in the Twin Cities.
The trio claims this federal presence violates the Tenth Amendment. They assert that it undermines Minnesota’s ability to control its own law enforcement. Frey and Ellison voiced their concerns in a press conference, highlighting what they describe as a harmful federal incursion. Ellison characterized the deployment as a “federal invasion” that has brought negative repercussions to the state. He stated, “The deployment of thousands of armed, masked DHS agents to Minnesota has done our state serious harm.”
Moreover, Ellison focused on alleged issues surrounding racial profiling and community disruption resulting from ICE activities. He claimed that businesses have been forced to close and schools have gone into lockdown due to fears of ICE operations. “People are being racially profiled, harassed, terrorized, and assaulted,” he remarked. This rhetoric emphasizes the heightened tension between local officials and federal immigration agents.
Frey echoed Ellison’s sentiments, using strong language to frame the federal presence as an “invasion” of his city. He said, “We don’t use the term invasion lightly.” Such language reflects a growing hostility toward federal enforcement actions in local jurisdictions.
ICE’s response to the lawsuit came from director Todd Lyons, who defended the agency’s operations. Lyons stated, “We’re not asking any government agency in Minnesota to do immigration law for us.” He highlighted that federal law allows ICE to operate without local agency cooperation, emphasizing the legal basis of their actions under Title VIII of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
This situation illustrates a clash between local and federal authorities over immigration enforcement. The legal and political implications of this lawsuit will likely unfold in the coming months. It raises critical questions about the balance of power between state and federal governance and what that means for communities deeply affected by immigration policies.
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