Trump Administration Sues Minnesota, Cities, County Over Sanctuary Policies Impeding Immigration Enforcement

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against the state of Minnesota, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Hennepin County, and officials including Attorney General Keith Ellison, alleging that their sanctuary policies obstruct federal immigration enforcement and result in the release of dangerous criminals. The lawsuit asks a federal court to invalidate laws and policies that impede immigration enforcement, citing Ellison's advisory opinion that state and local authorities are not authorized to hold individuals solely for federal immigration detainers. Minnesota officials, including Ellison, have condemned the lawsuit as baseless political retaliation and stated that the state’s policies comply with federal and state law, emphasizing a desire to prioritize Minnesota resources for Minnesota residents without deputizing for the federal government. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and St. Paul officials defended their sanctuary policies, pledging to continue protecting immigrant communities. The lawsuit is part of a broader Trump administration effort targeting sanctuary jurisdictions nationwide, including Colorado, Illinois, New York, and several major cities. The dispute centers on local restrictions on cooperation with federal immigration authorities, with the federal government asserting these policies jeopardize public safety by allowing illegal aliens to circumvent legal processes.