Judge dismisses Minnesotans’ civil rights suit against ICE

A federal judge dismissed a class-action lawsuit brought by the ACLU on behalf of Minnesota bystanders and journalists who alleged ICE agents pepper sprayed and detained them during Operation Metro Surge. U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez ruled the plaintiffs lacked standing now that the operation has wound down, finding little threat of ongoing harm.

The lawsuit's lead plaintiff said she was tackled, handcuffed and held for five hours after asking agents if they were with ICE; more than 100 declarations from community members accused agents of similar retaliation. An earlier preliminary injunction favoring the plaintiffs was overturned by the Eighth Circuit.

Menendez left the door open to revive the case if operations resume, and granted one plaintiff, who says agents threatened to add him to a ‘domestic terrorists’ list, leave to amend his claim. The government never admitted wrongdoing or promised not to resume the operation.

The full dispatch is available from the source below.