Judge Tostrud Dismisses 56-Page DOJ Challenge to Minnesota Sanctuary Policies

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 22

A federal judge threw out every Justice Department claim against Minnesota, Minneapolis, St. Paul and Hennepin County, ruling the state cannot be forced to help enforce federal immigration law.
In a 56-page opinion, Chief U.S. District Judge Eric Tostrud said the challenged policies govern only state and local officials, not the federal government, and that "refusing to help is not the same as impeding."
The Justice Department had argued Minnesota unlawfully hindered ICE by barring holds based solely on detainers, limiting officer participation in immigration enforcement and restricting some data sharing with federal authorities.
Tostrud said accepting that theory would run into the Tenth Amendment's anti-commandeering doctrine, which bars Congress from requiring states to use their personnel and resources for a federal regulatory program.
The ruling undercuts the Trump administration's broader push against sanctuary policies and lands amid heightened ICE operations in Minnesota, where Tom Homan has tied any federal drawdown to greater local cooperation.