Judge rules feds in Minneapolis immigration operation can’t detain or tear gas peaceful protesters

A federal judge in Minnesota ruled that federal officers involved in a large immigration enforcement operation in the Minneapolis area cannot detain or use tear gas against peaceful protesters. The ruling, issued Friday by U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez, stems from a case filed in December on behalf of six Minnesota activists who monitor immigration enforcement activities. The lawsuit alleges that the federal agents were obstructing the activists' ability to observe and document their work. The judge's order specifically prohibits the officers from detaining or using tear gas against protesters who are not obstructing authorities, including those observing the agents' actions. The ruling comes after incidents in January 2026 where tear gas was deployed during confrontations between federal immigration officers and protesters outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis.

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