Trump needed this.
A federal judge has delivered a significant legal victory to President Donald Trump, denying Minnesota’s attempt to immediately shut down U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Operation Metro Surge.
In a ruling issued Saturday, the court found that the state of Minnesota, along with the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, failed to meet the exceptionally high legal standard required to block an ongoing federal law-enforcement operation at this early stage of litigation.
U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez signed the order, stating that the plaintiffs “have not met their burden” to justify what she described as the “extraordinary remedy” of a preliminary injunction.
Minnesota and the two Twin Cities filed suit against the Department of Homeland Security and federal immigration officials, seeking to stop the ICE-led operation while the case continues. The plaintiffs argued that the enforcement effort caused harm to local communities and interfered with local governance.
However, Judge Menendez ruled that the plaintiffs did not present sufficient legal grounds to warrant halting a federal operation authorized under existing immigration law.
Following the decision, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey released a statement on social media expressing disappointment with the ruling.
“Naturally, we’re disappointed,” Frey said. “This ruling doesn’t erase the fear, disruption, and harm residents say they experienced from a federal operation that never should have taken place in Minneapolis.”
Frey also claimed the operation has undermined public safety, arguing it has disrupted city operations rather than improved order. He characterized the federal presence as an “invasion” and called for it to end.
Minnesota has emerged as a focal point in broader political resistance to federal immigration enforcement, with Democrat-led state and local governments openly opposing ICE activity and challenging the Trump administration’s border policies.
Operation Metro Surge began in early December 2025, when federal authorities deployed thousands of immigration enforcement officers to Minnesota and the Twin Cities region.
According to court filings, the operation has resulted in approximately 3,000 arrests statewide.
The Department of Homeland Security has stated that Operation Metro Surge targets “criminal illegal aliens,” including individuals convicted of serious offenses such as murder, sexual assault, violent crimes, and drug trafficking.
Public scrutiny has intensified following the deaths of Renée Good and Alex Pretti, which critics have cited in calls for increased oversight of enforcement practices.
Earlier this week, President Trump dispatched White House border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota, where he met with Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Frey to address ongoing tensions surrounding the operation.
Homan rejected suggestions that his visit signaled any retreat from the administration’s immigration enforcement agenda. Speaking Friday on Fox News with host Sean Hannity, Homan said the president remains fully committed to enforcing immigration laws.
“To set the record straight, there’s been a lot of talk suggesting President Trump is backing off his promise of mass deportation,” Homan said. “That’s simply not true.”
“For those misinterpreting why the president sent me to Minneapolis,” he added, “they’re not paying attention.”
