Story perspectives

Federal Immigration Agents Deployed Despite Local Opposition

1/31/2026

Summary

Story summary

U.S. District Judge Kate M. Menendez denied Minneapolis and St. Paul’s bid to block deployment of 3,000 federal immigration agents in Operation Metro Surge.
The state argued the deployment violated sovereignty and coerced local cooperation.
Menendez said the plaintiffs did not show a constitutional violation or sufficient evidence for an injunction.
The Department of Homeland Security and the Minnesota Attorney General's Office did not comment on the ruling.

History

Historical Context

Operation Wetback, initiated in June 1954 under President Eisenhower, aimed to deport over 1.1 million undocumented Mexican immigrants amid rising public concern over illegal immigration. This aggressive enforcement mirrored earlier mass deportations during the Great Depression. Judge Kate M. Menendez's recent ruling highlights ongoing tensions between federal immigration policies and local governance, reflecting historical struggles over immigration enforcement in the U.S.

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Story summary

U.S. District Judge Kate M. Menendez denied Minneapolis and St. Paul’s bid to block deployment of 3,000 federal immigration agents in Operation Metro Surge.
The state argued the deployment violated sovereignty and coerced local cooperation.
Menendez said the plaintiffs did not show a constitutional violation or sufficient evidence for an injunction.
The Department of Homeland Security and the Minnesota Attorney General's Office did not comment on the ruling.

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