By Micah Jonah
January 17, 2026
A federal judge in Minnesota has issued an injunction, restricting the tactics used by U.S. immigration agents deployed in the state, following repeated clashes with residents and the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three.
The ruling, handed down by US District Judge Kate Menendez, bars federal agents from arresting or detaining individuals engaged in peaceful protest or orderly observation, unless there is reasonable suspicion of a crime or interference with law enforcement. It also prohibits the use of pepper spray, tear gas, or other crowd-control measures against peaceful demonstrators or bystanders.
The Department of Homeland Security was given 72 hours to bring its Minneapolis operation into compliance. The court order is seen as a win for local activists and civil rights advocates who have opposed the federal deployment, which began with 2,000 ICE agents and has since grown to nearly 3,000 personnel, outnumbering local police.
The injunction comes amid escalating tensions between the Trump administration and city and state officials. President Trump recently threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act, which would allow him to deploy the military on U.S. soil to manage domestic unrest.
The ruling highlights growing concern over the conduct of federal officers, the protection of peaceful protest rights in Minneapolis, the state’s largest city.
