Court lifts restrictions on immigration officers' tactics in Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — An appeals court on Wednesday suspended a decision that restricts immigration officers' aggressive tactics in Minnesota, while Maine declined a request for more undercover license plates for U.S. Customs and Border Protection vehicles, citing “abuses of power” during the Trump administration's crackdown.

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was persuaded to freeze a judge's ruling that bars officers from using tear gas and other steps against peaceful protesters while the administration pursues an appeal. Operation Metro Surge, an immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota's Twin Cities, began in early December.

An injunction ordered last week by U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez harms “officers' ability to protect themselves and the public in very dangerous circumstances,” lawyers for the government argued.

Minnesota remains a major focus of immigration sweeps by agencies under the Department of Homeland Security. State and local officials who oppose the effort were served with federal grand jury subpoenas Tuesday for records that might suggest they were trying to stifle enforcement.

A political action committee founded by former Vice President Kamala Harris is urging donors to come to the aid of Gov. Tim Walz, her 2024 running mate, and contribute to a defense fund.

“The Justice Department is going after Trump’s enemies list,” Harris’ email said, referring to President Donald Trump.

Maine says no to special plate request

In Maine, meanwhile, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, a Democrat, said she won't grant a request for confidential license plates sought by Customs and Border Protection, a decision that reflects her disgust over the tactics of immigration officers elsewhere. Renee Good was fatally shot by an immigration officer in Minneapolis on Jan. 7. A message seeking comment from CBP was not immediately returned.

"We have not revoked existing plates but have paused issuance of new plates. We want to be assured that Maine plates will not be used for lawless purposes,” Bellows said.

Portland Public Schools, the largest and most diverse district in Maine, said it kept the doors locked at two schools for a few minutes Tuesday because of concerns about activity by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“This is an understandably tense time in our community, as reports and rumors of immigration enforcement actions grow,” the district said.

Conflicts emerge in shooting incident

Greg Bovino of U.S. Border Patrol, who has commanded the Trump administration’s big-city immigration crackdown, said more than 10,000 people in the U.S. illegally have been arrested in Minnesota in the past year, including 3,000 “of some of the most dangerous offenders” in the last six weeks during Operation Metro Surge.

Bovino defended his “troops” and said their actions are “legal, ethical and moral.”

Julia Decker, policy director at the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, said advocates have no way of knowing whether the government’s arrest numbers and descriptions of the people in custody are accurate.

Separately, a federal judge said he’s prepared to grant bond and release two men after hearing conflicting testimony about an alleged assault on an immigration officer. Prosecutors are appealing. One of the men was shot in the thigh by the officer during the encounter last week.

The officer said he was repeatedly struck with a broom and with snow shovels while trying to subdue and arrest Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna following a car crash and foot chase.

Aljorna and Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis denied assaulting the officer. Neither video evidence nor three eyewitnesses supported the officer’s account about the broom and shovels or that there had been a third person involved.

Aljorna and Sosa-Celis do not have violent criminal records, their attorneys said, and both had been working as DoorDash drivers at night to avoid encounters with federal agents.