Federal officials involved in a major U.S. immigration enforcement operation in the Minneapolis area are now prohibited from holding or using tear gas against peaceful protesters, including observers. U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez ruled Friday, following a case filed in December by six Minnesota activists.
The decision comes as thousands are investigating the activities of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and Border Patrol agents in the Minneapolis-St. Paul since early December, amid the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
In addition, the ruling prohibits officers from detaining drivers and passengers in vehicles unless there is reasonable suspicion that they are obstructing or disrupting official duties.
Safely following officers “at an appropriate distance does not, by itself, create reasonable suspicion to justify a vehicle stop,” the ruling said.
Menendez said officers should not arrest people without probable cause or reasonable suspicion that the person committed a crime or was interfering with or interfering with officers’ activities.
The activists in the case are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota, which says government officials are violating the constitutional rights of Twin Cities residents.
Government lawyers argued that the agents acted within their legal authority to enforce immigration laws and protect themselves.
Menendez is also chairing a lawsuit filed Monday by the state of Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul that seeks to suspend the crackdown, and some of the legal issues are similar. She declined during a hearing Wednesday to grant the state’s request for an immediate temporary restraining order in that case.
“What we need more than anything right now is a break. The temperature has to come down,” Assistant Attorney General Brian Carter told her.
Menendez said the issues raised by the state and cities in that case are “tremendously important.” But she said it raises high-level constitutional and other legal issues, and that there are few concrete precedents for some of those issues. She therefore ordered both sides to submit more documents next week.
#Judge #limits #ICE #agents #tactics #peaceful #protesters #Minneapolis