A federal appeals court on Monday handed a major victory to the Trump administration, overturning a lower court order that had restricted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from using standard enforcement tactics during violent protests in Minnesota.
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A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted a full stay of U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez’s injunction, which had temporarily barred federal agents from detaining, pepper-spraying, or otherwise engaging with protesters in Minneapolis without probable cause.
The panel said it reviewed the same video footage cited by the lower court and came to a very different conclusion. The judges wrote that the videos showed both peaceful and aggressive conduct among protesters, and also showed federal agents responding appropriately to a wide range of situations.
The ruling allows ICE and Department of Homeland Security officers to resume full enforcement operations in Minneapolis as part of Operation Metro Surge, the Trump administration’s ongoing crackdown on criminal illegal aliens in the Twin Cities region.
The case originated from a civil rights lawsuit filed by six protesters who claimed ICE and DHS agents violated their First and Fourth Amendment rights during street confrontations earlier this month. Menendez, an appointee of former President Biden, sided with the plaintiffs on January 16 and issued an injunction severely limiting ICE’s ability to respond to protesters and so-called “observers.”
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In her order, Menendez cited alleged incidents in which federal agents used pepper spray, conducted traffic stops, or made arrests against individuals she claimed were peacefully observing immigration operations.
The appeals court found that the lower court failed to account for the violent and obstructive behavior documented in multiple videos, including protesters blocking roadways, surrounding federal vehicles, and attempting to interfere with ongoing arrests.
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The three-judge panel said that law enforcement officers must retain reasonable discretion to respond to unpredictable and escalating threats, adding that the district court’s restrictions were unworkable and dangerous.
The Department of Justice, which filed an emergency appeal last week, hailed the ruling as a critical affirmation of the federal government’s authority to carry out immigration enforcement.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said the decision affirmed that federal officers cannot be restrained from defending themselves or enforcing the law in the face of violent agitators. She added that the 8th Circuit’s decision ensures law enforcement will not be undermined by politically motivated restrictions.
“Liberal judges tried to handcuff our federal law enforcement officers, restrict their actions, and put their safety at risk when responding to violent agitators,” Bondi wrote on X. “The DOJ went to court. We got a temporary stay. NOW, the 8th Circuit has fully agreed that this reckless attempt to undermine law enforcement cannot stand.”
The case has become a flashpoint in the broader conflict between federal immigration authorities and progressive activists in Minneapolis, where protests and riots have erupted in recent weeks following a series of immigration-related confrontations.
In one of those incidents, a federal agent was permanently maimed after a protester bit off part of his finger during a violent clash. Another confrontation resulted in the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, an armed protester who confronted Border Patrol officers during a January 24 immigration raid.
The 8th Circuit’s ruling is expected to bolster the administration’s position as it faces mounting pressure to maintain law and order in the Twin Cities. A senior DHS official said the ruling restores the ability of agents to protect themselves and the public from violent obstruction, adding that the department will not allow federal law to be nullified by mob tactics.
While the case will continue to move through the courts, the appeals court’s stay ensures that ICE operations in Minnesota can proceed without the restrictive limits imposed by the lower court.
The decision also signals judicial support for the administration’s broader approach to immigration enforcement, which has come under intense scrutiny from activists and progressive lawmakers since Operation Metro Surge began earlier this year.
For now, ICE agents and DHS task forces have regained full operational authority to detain, arrest, and disperse protesters who interfere with ongoing immigration actions.
