Federal Judge Dismisses DOJ Lawsuit Against Minnesota Sanctuary Policies
A federal judge appointed by former President Donald Trump has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) against Minnesota's sanctuary policies. The ruling, issued by Judge Eric Christian Tostrud on July 20, 2026, found that these policies do not unlawfully interfere with federal immigration enforcement.
The DOJ had filed the lawsuit on September 29, 2025, arguing that Minnesota, along with Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Hennepin County, enacted policies that violated the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution. These policies included refusing to act on immigration detainers and restricting the sharing of driver-license data.
Judge Tostrud concluded that the local ordinances in question do not attempt to regulate or obstruct federal immigration enforcement. Instead, they defer enforcement to federal authorities, which aligns with principles of federalism.
The case remains dismissed, and the ruling specifically addresses Minnesota's policies, not those of other states.