A federal judge in Minnesota has issued a ruling prohibiting immigration officers in the Minneapolis area from detaining or using tear gas on peaceful protesters. This ruling, the most restrictive order to date, comes following the recent killing of Renee Good.
U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez has imposed a temporary injunction that limits the circumstances under which immigration agents can deploy chemical irritants on crowds. The order also bars agents from retaliating against peaceful demonstrators exercising their First Amendment rights, a move challenged in a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union against the Department of Homeland Security and Secretary Kristi Noem.
Since early December, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol officers have been under scrutiny for enforcing the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. While the administration cited addressing fraud allegations as the operation’s purpose, protesters have accused the agents of violating their constitutional rights and engaging in violent retaliation.
The ruling now prevents officers from detaining individuals in vehicles unless there is reasonable suspicion of obstruction or interference. Menendez emphasized that following agents at a distance does not justify a vehicle stop by itself. The ruling also prohibits arrests without probable cause or reasonable suspicion of criminal activity or obstruction.
Government lawyers argue that officers have been acting within legal bounds to enforce immigration laws and ensure safety. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey criticized the enforcement surge as creating chaos, while Gov. Tim Walz and others described it as organized brutality.
Tensions heightened in the area after ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shot Good, leading to public outcry and demands for accountability. Additionally, the ACLU filed a lawsuit accusing federal immigration officers in Minnesota of racial profiling and unlawful detentions, detailing violations of constitutional rights and violence against citizens.
Amidst these events, videos have captured federal officers using aggressive crowd control measures, including tear gas and stun grenades. Reports indicate that federal agents have used Good’s death as a means to intimidate protesters, referencing deadly force incidents.