ICE Agents Regain Authority After U.S. Appeals Court Reverses Minnesota Ruling

The Trump administration won a significant legal victory Monday after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit overturned a lower court ruling that had restricted how federal immigration agents could respond to anti-ICE protests in Minnesota, as reported by Fox News.

In a decision issued by a three-judge panel, the Eighth Circuit granted a full stay of a prior injunction that limited the ability of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to arrest, detain, pepper-spray, or otherwise respond to protesters in Minneapolis without probable cause.

The ruling allows ICE agents to continue enforcement operations without the protest-specific constraints imposed earlier this month.

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The appeals court reviewed video evidence that had also been examined by the lower court and reached a different conclusion about the conduct of protesters.

“We accessed and viewed the same videos the district court did,” the panel wrote.

“What they show is observers and protesters engaging in a wide range of conduct, some of it peaceful but much of it not. They also show federal agents responding in various ways.”

The case stems from a lawsuit filed by six protesters who alleged that federal authorities violated their civil rights while carrying out immigration enforcement operations in the Twin Cities area.

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The plaintiffs accused federal agents of unlawful use of force and retaliation during confrontations linked to Operation Metro Surge.

On January 16, Kate Menendez, a U.S. District Judge, sided with the protesters and issued a preliminary injunction against the Department of Homeland Security and ICE.

Her order restricted federal agents from engaging in certain enforcement actions against individuals observing or protesting ICE activity, unless agents had probable cause.

In her ruling, Menendez concluded that the plaintiffs were likely to succeed on claims that federal agents violated their First and Fourth Amendment rights.

She cited alleged incidents in which ICE agents used pepper spray, pointed weapons, conducted traffic stops, and made arrests involving individuals she described as peacefully observing or protesting immigration enforcement efforts.

The Trump administration quickly appealed the decision. Last week, the Eighth Circuit temporarily lifted portions of the injunction, allowing ICE agents to resume broader use-of-force authority while the appeal was considered.

Monday’s decision went further, issuing what Attorney General Pam Bondi described as a complete reversal of the lower court’s restrictions.

“Liberal judges tried to handcuff our federal law enforcement officers, restrict their actions, and put their safety at risk when responding to violent agitators,” Bondi wrote on X following the ruling.

“The DOJ went to court. We got a temporary stay. NOW, the 8th Circuit has fully agreed that this reckless attempt to undermine law enforcement cannot stand.”

WIN AGAINST JUDICIAL ACTIVISM IN MINNESOTA

Our great @TheJusticeDept attorneys have now obtained a FULL STAY in this crucial case.

Liberal judges tried to handcuff our federal law enforcement officers, restrict their actions, and put their safety at risk when responding to… https://t.co/j1kvm7gQGR

— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) January 26, 2026

The ruling restores full operational discretion to ICE agents in Minnesota as anti-ICE protests continue to accompany enforcement actions.

The lawsuit itself remains ongoing, but the appellate court’s stay means the January injunction will not be enforced while the case proceeds.

The decision marks another court win for the Trump administration as it pushes back against legal challenges aimed at limiting federal immigration enforcement during protests and demonstrations.

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