US District Court Judge Katherine Menendez, appointed to her position by President Joe Biden, has rejected Minnesota’s attempt to block federal immigration enforcement under Operation Metro Surge.
The ruling addresses a lawsuit filed by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who sought to halt the Trump administration initiative targeting individuals with final orders of removal. Menendez found that while Operation Metro Surge had “profound and even heartbreaking consequences” in Minnesota, the state failed to prove it was being unfairly targeted or that federal actions constituted unconstitutional coercion.
In her decision, Menendez emphasized there is “no precedent for a court to micromanage such decisions,” rejecting claims that the operation violated state sovereignty. She noted the lawsuit followed protests over incidents involving federal agents but dismissed Ellison’s argument that immigration enforcement disrupted schools, healthcare, and local economies.
The judge affirmed that federal agents are executing existing court orders, not engaging in unlawful activity. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi supported the ruling, stating “neither sanctuary policies nor meritless litigation will stop the Trump Administration from enforcing federal law.”
