A federal judge appointed by President Donald Trump dismissed the Justice Department’s entire lawsuit against Minnesota’s sanctuary immigration policies on Monday, ruling that the state cannot be forced to assist federal immigration enforcement.
Chief U.S. District Judge Eric Tostrud, sitting in the District of Minnesota, rejected every claim the DOJ brought against the state, the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, and Hennepin County. The dismissal covers policies that bar local officials from honoring ICE detainers, restrict data sharing with federal immigration authorities, and prohibit local officers from participating in federal enforcement operations.
“They do not command the federal government or its contractors to act. They do not forbid the federal government or its contractors from acting,” Tostrud wrote in his 56-page opinion. “Rather, they regulate how state and local officials perform their duties.”
The DOJ had argued that Minnesota’s restrictions violated the Supremacy Clause by illegally obstructing ICE. Tostrud disagreed, ruling that accepting the administration’s argument would violate the Tenth Amendment’s anti-commandeering doctrine, which bars the federal government from conscripting state personnel to carry out federal programs.
“The framers explicitly chose a Constitution that confers upon Congress the power to regulate individuals, not States,” the opinion states.
On the question of whether refusing to cooperate equals obstruction, the judge drew a sharp line: “Refusing to help is not the same as impeding.”
The ruling is a significant legal setback for the administration’s nationwide effort to dismantle sanctuary policies by invoking federal preemption. A separate DOJ lawsuit against Virginia over similar laws remains pending.
Eric Wessan, an attorney with the Iowa Solicitor General’s Office, said Tostrud’s ruling conflicts with existing Eighth Circuit precedent. “I think that his opinion is hard to square with the binding precedent,” Wessan said, noting the circuit had previously found a state immigration law preempted because it obstructed federal enforcement. He also argued the legal debate was a distraction from the underlying crisis. “The country is facing an immigration crisis. Rather than figuring out the fine line between impeding and refusing to help, Minnesota should appreciate the federal government’s willingness to help with the illegal immigration crisis.”
The ruling comes after months of heightened federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota. The Trump administration launched Operation Metro Surge, a large-scale ICE initiative targeting the state, which intensified following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, by federal agents in January.
Minnesota officials have defended their policies, arguing that sanctuary protections encourage undocumented immigrants to cooperate with local law enforcement without fear of deportation.
