Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed suit on January 12, 2026, against Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and the Trump administration challenging a massive surge of militarized immigration agents conducting illegal and unconstitutional stops and arrests across the twin cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. 

The suit alleges that Trump has targeted Minnesota for entirely political reasons. Trump called the state corrupt and claimed the operation was in response to fraud. But immigration agents have neither expertise nor jurisdiction to combat fraud and a Minnesota state agency that does, in fact, have jurisdiction over fraud had already appropriately identified and responded to  suspicious activities. The Trump administration has already targeted Minnesota with cuts to key federal programs, including clean energy funds, childcare programs, and nutrition assistance. The surge of immigration agents is simply the next step in retaliating against a state — and an immigrant population — Trump considers to be political enemies. 

Immigration authorities have terrorized the populations of the Twin Cities. Unlawful actions have including arresting, threatening, and using force against bystanders; using force against peaceful protesters exercising constitutionally protected speech; pointing firearms at individuals posing no threat to agents; engaging in warrantless arrest of individuals without determining their immigration status; and carrying out enforcement actions at sensitive locations including schools, churches, and hospitals. Citizens have been harassed and threatened simply for having an accent. And on January 7, 2026, a DHS agent shot and killed legal observer Renee Good.

Federal immigration enforcement abuses have prevented the state of Minnesota from exercising its sovereign authority to provide education and public safety. Schools have gone into lockdown, and police have essentially been commandeered to defuse tensions created by federal agents’ aggression against peaceful protesters. Businesses are suffering financial losses due to customers’ fears of federal agents. The suit asserts that these actions violate Minnesota’s state sovereignty, the First and Tenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, and the Administrative Procedure Act. 

The suit asks the court to declare DHS operations unconstitutional and unlawful and prohibit DHS from implementing its abusive “surge” throughout the state, including in sensitive areas.

The unlawful deployment of thousands of armed, masked, and poorly trained federal agents is hurting Minnesota. People are being racially profiled, harassed, terrorized, and assaulted. Schools have gone into lockdown. Businesses have been forced to close. Minnesota police are spending countless hours dealing with the chaos ICE is causing. This federal invasion of the Twin Cities has to stop, so today I am suing DHS to bring it to an end. Attorney General Keith Ellison