Judge curbs immigration officers’ use of force in Minneapolis protests

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Federal officers in the Minneapolis-area participating in its largest recent U.S. immigration enforcement operation can’t detain or tear gas peaceful protesters, a U.S. judge in Minnesota ruled Friday.

U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez ruled in a case filed in December on behalf of six Minnesota activists.

Thousands of people have been observing the activities of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol officers enforcing the Trump administration‘s immigration crackdown in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area since early December.

Sponsored

A woman covers her face from tear gas as federal immigration officers confront protesters outside Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)

You may like: Trump threatens to use Insurrection Act to end protests in Minneapolis

The activists in the case are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota, which says government officers are violating the constitutional rights of Twin Cities residents.

Government attorneys argued that the officers have been acting within their legal authority to enforce immigration laws and protect themselves.

The post Judge curbs immigration officers’ use of force in Minneapolis protests appeared first on USNewsRank.