Appeals Court Temporarily Pauses Restrictions on Federal Agents in Minneapolis
Judicial Ruling Suspension
A federal appeals court has temporarily paused a significant ruling that limited the use of force by federal agents against peaceful protesters in Minneapolis. The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals granted an administrative stay on Wednesday for a preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez the previous week. This stay allows the federal government to pursue an appeal regarding the judge’s order.
Background of the Ruling
On January 21, 2026, Judge Menendez issued an extensive 83-page order that prohibited federal agents, involved in immigration enforcement operations for the Trump administration, from deploying nonlethal munitions or pepper spray against peaceful protesters. This ruling also forbade agents from arresting peaceful demonstrators and from stopping or detaining individuals in vehicles simply for being near protests without “reasonable articulable suspicion” of interference with law enforcement activities.
The ruling emerged from a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on behalf of six local residents, alleging that their constitutional rights were violated by federal law enforcement.
CONTEXT OF THE LAWSUIT
start plaintiff, Susan Tincher, recounted that during her observation of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (start) activities on December 9, she was apprehended within moments of her arrival and held in custody for five hours before being released. The judge’s ruling was timed to remain in effect during a surge of federal immigration enforcement in the area, which has seen thousands of agents deployed recently to target individuals suspected of being in the U.S. illegally and to investigate claims of fraud in Minnesota.
Next Steps
As the federal government proceeds with its appeal, the implications of this temporary pause remain significant, as tensions between local communities and federal forces continue amidst a backdrop of increased immigration enforcement. CBS News has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment regarding the ongoing situation and the implications of the court’s decision.
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