Minnesota ICE lawsuit: Judge allows ICE to continue operation amid legal arguments
By Howard Thompson and Paul Blume
Published January 14, 2026 10:02am CST
Minneapolis ICE shooting
FOX 9
The Brief
A federal judge declined to bring an immediate end to the ICE surge in Minnesota during a court hearing on Wednesday.
However, the judge did fast-track arguments in the lawsuit, demanding federal authorities submit its response by Monday, Jan. 19.
The State of Minnesota argues that the ICE operation has caused "serious harm", citing incidents like the shooting of Renee Good.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A federal court judge is allowing the ICE surge in Minnesota to continue for now amid a legal challenge by the state, but is demanding federal authorities respond to the lawsuit by early next week.
ICE surge lawsuit
The backstory:
On Monday, the State of Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul announced a lawsuit and motion for a temporary restraining order in an attempt to bring an end to the ICE surge that is underway in Minnesota.
In its argument, the state cites "harm" brought by the surge, including the shooting of Renee Nicole Good at the hands of an ICE agent a week ago, among other conflicts.
State officials argue the operation isn't about safety or fraud as federal officials claim, but rather political retribution.
What we know:
In a hearing on Wednesday held via telephone, a judge denied the state's request to force an immediate end to the ICE operation but kept the lawsuit on the fast track.
The judge ordered federal authorities to submit their response to the lawsuit no later than Monday, Jan. 19. The plaintiffs will then have until Thursday, Jan. 22, to respond to those arguments.
more
https://www.fox9.com/news/minnesota-ice-surge-lawsuit-judge-allows-ice-continue-operation-jan-14-2026
