California Attorney General Rob Bonta has led a coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief supporting Minnesota’s lawsuit against the deployment of federal immigration officers to Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The brief, submitted to the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, urges an immediate halt to actions taken by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which sent more than 3,000 federal agents into the area over several weeks.
“These aggressive and militaristic tactics sanctioned by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and carried out by CBP Commander Greg Bovino blatantly disregard well-established policing norms, state sovereignty, and the sanctity of life,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Just days after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we are continuing his fight and core belief that an injustice against one is an injustice against all. I urge the court to block the Trump Administration’s lawless actions. As the President himself has said, Minnesota is just the beginning, and if left unchecked, he will no doubt go into and threaten the safety, autonomy, and well-being of more states and communities.”
Federal enforcement escalated in December 2025 with “Operation Metro Surge,” described by ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons as ICE’s largest immigration operation ever. Public reports indicate that Secretary Noem deployed about 3,000 federal immigration officers—2,000 from ICE and hundreds from Border Patrol—to Minnesota in line with former President Donald Trump’s pledge for mass deportations.
The presence of these agents has reportedly resulted in violence—including a fatal shooting of Renee Good by federal agents—and incidents where peaceful protestors were attacked or subjected to unconstitutional stops and arrests. Local police have had to divert resources due to unrest related to these deployments.
Further incidents include another person being shot in Minneapolis a week after Good’s death; use of tear gas on a family trapped in their car; temporary closure of over 100 schools affecting about 30,000 children; reduced school attendance due to fear among families; businesses reporting significant revenue losses; and pregnant women avoiding medical appointments because they fear detention.
The coalition argues that these practices infringe on powers reserved for states under the Constitution such as public safety and welfare responsibilities.
Attorney General Bonta has previously challenged similar federal actions through legal filings opposing unlawful immigration stops in California’s Central Valley and Los Angeles. He also secured a decision halting continued deployment of California National Guard troops around Los Angeles.
Joining Bonta are attorneys general from Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawai’i, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington state and Wisconsin.
