MINNEAPOLIS
A federal judge ruled Friday that officers involved in a massive immigration crackdown in the Minneapolis area cannot detain or tear gas peaceful protesters—including those merely observing the operation—unless they are actively obstructing authorities.
U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez issued the order in response to a December lawsuit filed on behalf of six local activists.
The activists, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota, argue that federal agents have violated residents’ constitutional rights during the ongoing enforcement surge, which has drawn thousands of protesters.
Tensions between agents and demonstrators have intensified since the crackdown began, escalating sharply after the Jan. 7 fatal shooting of Renee Good by an immigration agent.
The shooting, captured on video from multiple angles, occurred as Good drove away from a scene in Minneapolis. Agents have arrested or briefly detained numerous people across the Twin Cities.
The ruling directly curtails the tactics available to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol officers participating in Operation Metro Surge, the Trump administration’s largest recent immigration enforcement action.
By James Kisoo
