Federal Judge Dismisses DOJ's Challenge to Minnesota's Sanctuary Policies
A U.S. federal judge on July 20, 2026, dismissed the Trump administration’s lawsuit challenging Minnesota's sanctuary policies, which limit cooperation with federal immigration agents. Judge Eric C. Tostrud ruled that these state and local laws do not interfere with federal immigration enforcement, as they regulate only the conduct of state and local officials.
The policies in question include restrictions on local police asking about immigration status, prohibitions on coordination with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and a Minnesota Attorney General opinion that prevents county jails from holding detainees longer than necessary for ICE pickup. These measures have been central to Minnesota's approach to immigration enforcement.
The lawsuit was part of a broader initiative by the Trump administration, which deployed thousands of ICE and Border Patrol agents to the Twin Cities area under “Operation Metro Surge” in late 2025 and early 2026. The Department of Justice argued that Minnesota's sanctuary policies were an attempt to obstruct federal immigration enforcement.
This dismissal follows another recent legal setback for the DOJ. In June 2026, Judge Patrick J. Schiltz quashed subpoenas issued to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, ruling that the subpoenas were part of a coercive campaign to compel local officials to assist in federal enforcement efforts.