Judge Limits Ability of ICE to Detain or Use Tear Gas Against Protesters in Minneapolis

As long as protestors are not obstructing the agents from performing their duties, they cannot be detained or tear gassed, the ruling states.

Federal officers in front of the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis on Jan. 9, 2026. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

A federal judge in Minnesota has issued an order stating federal immigration agents cannot detain or tear gas protesters observing enforcement operations in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region, as long as they are not obstructing the officers from performing their duties.

The decision, handed down Friday by U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez, stems from a lawsuit brought last month by six local activists.