Minnesota state officials have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over a sweeping immigration enforcement operation across the Minneapolis area.
The lawsuit, filed Monday in U.S. District Court by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, follows the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Macklin Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent after she blocked a roadway in her car.
At a press conference, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison accused federal agents of overstepping their authority during the enforcement surge. He said agents have arrested peaceful bystanders, detained U.S. citizens, and used chemical irritants against demonstrators and others exercising their First Amendment rights, including outside a local high school. The lawsuit asks the court to halt the administration’s immigration crackdown in the state.
“Thousands of armed and masked DHS agents have stormed the Twin Cities to conduct militarized raids and carry out dangerous, illegal, and unconstitutional stops and arrests in sensitive public places, including schools and hospitals — all under the guise of lawful immigration enforcement,” the complaint states. It also alleges racial profiling by immigration agents.
The Department of Homeland Security rejected those claims. In a statement, spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin accused Ellison of “prioritizing politics over public safety” and denied allegations of racial profiling. She said law enforcement relies on “reasonable suspicion,” as permitted under the Fourth Amendment.
“President Trump’s job is to protect the American people and enforce the law — no matter who your mayor, governor, or state attorney general is,” McLaughlin said, adding that the administration is prepared to defend its actions in court.
More than 2,000 federal immigration agents are currently deployed in Minnesota, with additional personnel expected.
On Monday, an NPR reporter observed immigration agents driving through Minneapolis and questioning people about their immigration status, including in the parking lots of large retail stores.
“Are you a green card holder? Do you have it on you?” agents asked Joel Keleekai while he charged his Tesla in a parking lot.
It remains unclear why Border Patrol agents questioned Keleekai and other drivers at the charging station. All were people of color and were able to prove they were legally in the United States.
Keleekai, a permanent U.S. resident, said he was not surprised by the encounter given the heavy federal presence.
“We don’t want this to escalate,” he told NPR. “As you see, ICE is going around and people are getting killed. We just have to do our best to make sure we live to see tomorrow.”
McLaughlin said ICE does not conduct random arrests and follows established procedures, including securing warrants when required.
The enforcement tactics mark a departure from past immigration operations, which traditionally focused on targeted actions. Under the Trump administration, enforcement in Minnesota has intensified and become more aggressive.
Vice President JD Vance recently said immigration agents are also going door to door in search of undocumented immigrants.
The crackdown has sparked strong opposition from local officials and Minneapolis residents. Community members have organized group chats to track immigration agents, following them through neighborhoods, honking horns, and alerting neighbors and migrants to ICE’s presence and to their legal rights.
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