A federal judge on Saturday declined Minnesota’s request to temporarily block Operation Metro Surge, allowing the Trump administration’s expanded immigration enforcement effort in the state to continue while a broader legal challenge moves forward.
U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez ruled that Minnesota had not met the legal threshold required for a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction. In her decision, the judge said the state failed to show a clear likelihood of success on the merits of its claims at this early stage of the case.
“Because there is evidence supporting both sides’ arguments as to motivation, and the relative merits of each side’s competing positions are unclear, the Court is reluctant to find that the likelihood-of-success factor weighs sufficiently in favor of granting a preliminary injunction,” Menendez wrote.
Minnesota officials had argued that the operation violates the Constitution’s 10th Amendment by unlawfully pressuring the state and local governments to abandon sanctuary-style policies and cooperate more closely with federal immigration authorities. The judge said those claims were not yet strong enough to justify halting federal enforcement activity.
While denying the request, Menendez acknowledged evidence presented by the state showing that the operation has caused significant disruption to daily life across Minnesota. She described the reported impacts on communities as “profound and even heartbreaking,” but said those harms must be weighed against the federal government’s interest in enforcing immigration law.
“The Eighth Circuit has recently reiterated that an injunction barring the federal government from enforcing federal law imposes significant harm on the government,” she wrote.
Operation Metro Surge began in December, when federal authorities deployed thousands of immigration agents to the Twin Cities area. According to the Department of Homeland Security, more than 3,000 undocumented immigrants have been arrested as part of the operation.
The enforcement push has sparked widespread protests and legal challenges following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, in separate encounters with federal agents this month. Those deaths have fueled daily demonstrations across Minneapolis and surrounding communities.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said the state was disappointed by the ruling but would continue fighting the case in court.
“History is on our side, and Minnesotans are meeting its call,” Ellison said in a statement. “We’re not backing down.”
The ruling allows Operation Metro Surge to continue while the lawsuit proceeds, but it does not determine whether the operation ultimately violates constitutional or federal law. That question will be addressed in later stages of the case.