Trump Administration Seeks to Block Minnesota's Lawsuit Against ICE Surge

The Justice Department asked a federal judge on Monday to allow a surge of immigration agents in Minnesota to continue despite a lawsuit filed by state and local officials claiming that the deployment is unconstitutional. Lawyers for the state and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul say in the suit that the operation violates Minnesota’s sovereignty under the 10th Amendment. It says that the federal government’s “actions appear designed to provoke community outrage, sow fear and inflict emotional distress, and they are interfering with the ability of state and local officials to protect and care for their residents.” But the Trump administration said on Monday that the state and local governments’ position was an “absurdity” that “would render the supremacy of federal law an afterthought to local preferences.” An injunction blocking the operation “would constitute an unprecedented act of judicial overreach,” they added. The plaintiffs filed the suit last week. Judge Kate M. Menendez made no rulings in a hearing on Wednesday; the state had pressed her to immediately block the deployment of some 3,000 federal agents to Minnesota. The ICE campaign, which the Trump administration has named Operation Metro Surge, has led to more than 3,000 arrests, repeated clashes with protesters and two shootings. The administration has described the effort as necessary to crack down on illegal immigration and to root out fraud in state social service programs. Judge Menendez, who was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden Jr., said during the hearing last week that the Trump administration needed time to reply to the lawsuit. She said another hearing on the issue was possible, perhaps as soon as this Friday, though one has not been scheduled yet. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.