(Minneapolis) The state of Minnesota and the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are suing the federal government to stop the wave of enforcement actions taken by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following the death of a Minneapolis woman who was shot by an agent.
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The state and cities filed a lawsuit in federal court Monday, along with a request for a temporary restraining order to suspend enforcement or limit the operation.
The Department of Homeland Security says it has deployed more than 2,000 immigration agents to Minnesota and made more than 2,000 arrests since the operation began last month. ICE called the Minnesota operation the largest enforcement operation ever.
The suit alleges that Operation Metro Surge violates federal law because it is arbitrary and capricious, given that other states are not subject to comparable enforcement measures. And while the Trump administration says it’s about combating fraud, the suit says ICE agents have no expertise in combating fraud in government programs.
The complaint claims the federal government is actually targeting Minnesota for political reasons, which is a violation of the First Amendment.
Also, on Monday, federal agents fired tear gas to disperse a crowd of bystanders who had gathered in Minneapolis to watch the aftermath of a car crash involving immigration agents, just blocks from where last week’s fatal shooting occurred.
PHOTO OCTAVIO JONES, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Federal agents disperse tear gas during a patrol to detain undocumented people as part of an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis, Minnesota, January 12, 2026.
A crowd gathered to see a man being questioned by officers who crashed into the back of his car. The officers used tear gas to disperse the group, then fled as the crowd called them “cowards!” “.
This tense scene came after the death of Renee Good on January 7 and a weekend marked by new roundups of immigrants in the Minneapolis area. Dozens of demonstrations or vigils took place across the United States to pay tribute to Mme Good and vehemently criticize the tactics of the Trump administration.
Governor Tim Walz and his wife Gwen visited the scene where Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother, was shot in the head while driving an SUV.
PHOTO KEREM YÜCEL, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and his wife, Gwen Walz, attend a vigil for Renee Good on January 9, 2026, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Trump administration officials have repeatedly defended the immigration agent who shot her, saying Mme Good and his vehicle posed a threat. But that explanation was widely criticized by Gov. Walz and others based on videos of the confrontation.
Christian Molina, a U.S. citizen who lives in Coon Rapids, said he was on his way to a mechanic Monday when officers in another vehicle followed him, even turning on their siren.
Mr. Molina said his rear bumper was struck while turning a corner. He refused to show his identification documents to officers, saying he would wait for local police.
“I’m glad they didn’t shoot me or anything like that,” he added to reporters.
Standing by the dented fender, he wondered aloud, “Who’s going to pay for my car?” »
Meanwhile, in Portland, Oregon, federal authorities filed charges against a Venezuelan national who was one of two people shot and injured Thursday by U.S. Border Patrol. The U.S. Department of Justice said the man used his pickup truck to ram a Border Patrol vehicle and flee with a woman.
They were shot and eventually arrested. Their injuries were not life-threatening. The FBI said there was no video of the incident, unlike the shooting that led to M’s death.me Good.
