Elie Honig, a legal analyst for CNN, shared his insights on a pending lawsuit in Minnesota seeking to limit the activities of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) within the state. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey initiated the proceedings, claiming ICE’s presence amounted to an “invasion.” Honig expressed skepticism about the lawsuit’s prospects during his discussion with host Anderson Cooper.
According to Honig, the lawsuit lacks a strong legal foundation. “What they’re asking, the state of Minnesota is asking a federal judge to throw ICE out of the state and to prohibit ICE from enforcing federal law in the state,” he noted. He emphasized that such requests have no judicial precedent and would likely violate the supremacy clause of the Constitution, which affirms that federal law takes precedence over state laws. “To do that would violate the supremacy clause, which says the states cannot block the feds from doing their federal duties,” Honig said.
The context of this legal battle includes previous rulings reinforcing federal authority over immigration enforcement. Notably, in 2012, the Supreme Court overturned significant parts of Arizona’s SB1070 legislation for similar reasons. The implications of this precedent highlight the uphill battle Minnesota’s officials face in their current litigation.
On a practical level, Honig suggested that Minnesota might gain insights from the case, even if it ultimately fails. “The one thing that Minnesota might get out of this… depending on the judge, the judge could want a hearing and could ask ICE some of the questions you just asked Senator Klobuchar about training and protocols,” he explained. This potential inquiry could yield important information, although it wouldn’t change the lawsuit’s likely outcome.
Honig also reflected on the aftermath of a recent incident involving an ICE agent who fatally shot a woman named Renee Good during an enforcement operation in Minneapolis. He posed that while Minnesota authorities could charge the agent, they would face significant legal challenges. “There’s nothing preventing the state from charging. However, if they did charge the federal agent with state level crimes, there would be a serious argument that the federal agent would make,” he explained. The prospect of moving the case to federal court and claiming qualified immunity complicates the matter further. “He would have to show that he was acting within the scope of his job,” Honig added.
In conclusion, while Minnesota’s legal landscape is fraught with challenges stemming from federal supremacy, the outcomes of these proceedings hinge on the courts’ interpretation of the law. Honig’s analysis underscores the complexity of balancing state and federal authority, particularly in contentious and politically charged issues like immigration enforcement.
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