Minnesota, Illinois sue Trump administration over immigration enforcement surge
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed a lawsuit against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and senior immigration officials, asking a federal court to declare the enforcement surge unconstitutional and unlawful.
A federal immigration officer deploys pepper spray as protesters demonstrate against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer last week, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo)
Minnesota and Illinois have sued President Donald Trump’s administration, seeking to block a surge of federal immigration enforcement officers deployed to their states, Reuters reports.
The lawsuits come after a federal immigration officer fatally shot a woman in Minnesota last week, triggering protests and political backlash.
What Minnesota is challenging
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed a lawsuit against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and senior immigration officials, asking a federal court to declare the enforcement surge unconstitutional and unlawful.
The state accused the federal government of racial profiling and of targeting Minnesota because it is led by Democrats. Officials said they would seek a temporary restraining order as early as Tuesday.
“The deployment of thousands of armed, masked DHS agents to Minnesota has done our state serious harm,” Ellison said. “This is, in essence, a federal invasion of the Twin Cities and Minnesota and it must stop.”
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Minnesota is asking the court to limit federal officers’ use of force, bar arrests of US citizens and visa holders without probable cause, and require agents to display identification, wear body cameras and remove face coverings.
What Illinois is asking for
Illinois filed a separate federal lawsuit on Monday. Democratic Governor JB Pritzker criticised what he called the Department of Homeland Security’s “dangerous use of force”.
Before any investigation, Trump declared Good’s killing justified, and the rest of his administration snapped into action. (File Photo)
The state wants the court to block US Customs and Border Protection from carrying out civil immigration enforcement in Illinois and restrict tactics such as the use of tear gas, entering private property and concealing licence plates.
The Department of Homeland Security rejected Minnesota’s claims, accusing Ellison of prioritising politics over public safety. DHS said the surge was necessary because Minnesota failed to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.
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Why tensions escalated
Tensions rose after a federal officer shot and killed Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, during an enforcement operation in Minnesota. Noem said Good attempted to ram the officer with her vehicle, a claim disputed by critics.
The Trump administration says it is enforcing immigration law, while Democratic leaders argue the actions amount to political overreach.
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A federal immigration officer deploys pepper spray as protesters demonstrate against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer last week, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo) 
