Minnesota judge considers lawsuit that could hamstring ICE tactics amid enforcement surge

A federal judge in Minnesota is considering whether to significantly restrict the operations of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers during a large-scale federal enforcement campaign in Minneapolis, including by imposing limits that critics argue could compromise agents’ ability to defend themselves in potentially hazardous situations.

The case, Tincher v. Noem, was filed in December by Minneapolis residents and later backed by Minnesota officials challenging the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement surge known as “Operation Metro Surge.” Plaintiffs are seeking a court order that would restrict ICE’s use of force, including limits on chemical irritants and on when officers may draw their weapons. Similar lawsuits were filed this week in Illinois and Minnesota.

U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, declined this week to rule immediately