At a hearing Monday, a federal judge appeared skeptical of the need for 3,000 immigration agents in Minnesota.
Minnesota officials asked U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez for an emergency order to block the Trump administration from deploying ICE agents in the state for increased immigration enforcement after two people were killed by federal agents this month.
In the three-hour hearing, Menendez grilled attorneys representing the federal government on why so many officers were required in the state and whether it was designed to pressure Minnesota to align with the Trump administration's immigration policies.
Brantley Mayers, an attorney for the federal government, said they were simply enforcing the law and that more agents were required to carry out complicated operations in parking lots.
Lindsey Middlecamp, who represented the state, accused Attorney General Pam Bondi of sending Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz a "ransom note" when she sent a letter that if the state followed sanctuary policies and handed over state voter rolls, the federal government would remove immigration agents.
Middlecamp also accused President Donald Trump of trying to "sow chaos" in Minnesota.
"Minnesota should not have to withstand another month, another week or another single day of the unlawful and unchecked federal invasion by thousands of agents," Middlecamp said at the hearing.
"We cannot have a state and future if the people are not safe," she added.
Menendez questioned Middlecamp on whether she has the authority to intervene in federal law enforcement activity.
"How do I decide when a law enforcement response crosses the line from a legitimate law enforcement response to a response that violates the 10th Amendment?" Menendez replied.
Brian Carter, a lawyer for the state, described the situation on the streets of Minneapolis as "dire."
"The conduct we're seeing is so much worse than anything we've ever seen, that the 10th Amendment must prevent it," Carter said.
Sam Barron ✉
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