ICE in Minnesota: Trump admin response due in state lawsuit; troops on standby

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Justice Department is expected to respond Monday to a lawsuit filed by the State of Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul in an attempt to end the recent ICE surge.

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Federal response to ICE lawsuit

The backstory:

A federal judge has fast-tracked a lawsuit filed by Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul against the federal government over increased ICE activities. The judge denied an immediate halt to the activities, and Attorney General Keith Ellison has since sent a letter to the judge requesting a preliminary injunction rather than a temporary restraining order, citing what he said were escalating harms from the federal government’s actions.

State officials argue the operation isn't about safety or fraud, as federal officials claim, but rather political retribution. The lawsuit alleges the enforcement activities are impacting schools and businesses, with local leaders urging federal agents to stop using what they describe as excessive force and start wearing body-worn cameras.

Trump admin faces deadline to respond to MN ICE lawsuit

The Trump administration faces a Monday deadline to respond to a lawsuit filed by the state seeking to halt ICE operations. This comes as the Pentagon placed 1,500 active soldiers on standby for potential deployment to Minnesota amid ongoing anti-ICE protests.

Officials have emphasized the lawsuit is not an attempt to try and block immigration enforcement altogether, but rather to stop what they describe as unlawful federal enforcement. 

The other side:

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has repeatedly criticized the state and Minneapolis leaders, accusing them of protecting criminals in their opposition to ICE.

What's next:

The judge ordered federal officials to submit their response to the lawsuit no later than Monday, Jan. 19. The plaintiffs will then have until Thursday, Jan. 22, to respond to those arguments.

Federal officials have not filed a response as of Monday morning.

Troops on standby

Troops placed on standby for Minnesota deployment

The Pentagon has placed 1,500 active soldiers on standby for potential deployment to Minnesota amid ongoing anti-ICE protests. This comes as the Trump administration faces a Monday deadline to respond to a lawsuit filed by the state seeking to halt ICE operations.

Dig deeper:

Meanwhile, the Pentagon has placed about 1,500 active-duty soldiers on standby for a possible deployment to Minnesota as anti-ICE protests continue in the state. 

Defense officials say "two army infantry battalions" based in Alaska have received prepare-to-deploy orders, should President Trump invoke the Insurrection Act. 

This comes as the Minnesota National Guard is on standby to provide assistance to local law enforcement if needed in the aftermath of ongoing immigration enforcement operations across the state.