A Biden-appointed judge decided last week that she now gets to run federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota — and the result was a truly astonishing ruling.
U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez issued an order effectively tying the hands of federal agents, barring them from detaining “peaceful protesters” and forbidding the use of tear gas or crowd-control measures. In other words, while ICE agents are trying to enforce federal law, activist mobs are now granted special protection courtesy of a judge who apparently thinks she outranks the Constitution.
Yes, some rightly noted that if protesters start assaulting federal officers, all bets are off. But that’s not the point. The point is that some unelected district judge does not get to dictate the rules of engagement for federal law enforcement. Judges interpret law (supposedly). They do not command operations.
BREAKING: Judge enters TRO blocking feds from interfering with or arresting peaceful protesters in Minnesota. Judge Kate Menendez, Biden appointee. Order: https://t.co/FAvCOWRGGU pic.twitter.com/xAicwkrQoX
— Josh Gerstein (@joshgerstein) January 17, 2026
The Trump administration was always going to appeal this outrageous nonsense, because of course they would:
The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals paused a lower court’s order on Wednesday that had restrained federal immigration agents’ use of force against peaceful protesters.
Some protesters against U.S. President Donald Trump’s surges in immigration enforcement in the Minneapolis area sued his administration in December, saying their constitutional rights were being infringed.
Minnesota has become ground zero after Renee Nicole Good, 37, was shot and killed by an ICE agent on January 7 — after she deliberately rammed her vehicle into him.
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Let’s be clear: this was a justified shooting.
The agent’s own body-cam footage shows the exact moment of impact. A federal officer was being attacked with a two-ton weapon. That’s not a protest. That’s attempted homicide. And when someone uses a car as a battering ram against law enforcement, the outcome is on them.
But facts never slow down the outrage machine.
Within hours, the usual suspects – crusty, chronically angry and depressed liberal white women and their gay/trans allies – poured into the streets, whipped into a frenzy by cable news and professional grievance hustlers, determined to turn lawful self-defense into another manufactured martyr narrative.
Meanwhile, DHS boss Kristi Noem noted that operations in Minnesota not only will continue, but they’re likely to expand now to the bozos who ‘allegedly’ broke the FACE Act by invading a church earlier this week, with CNN has-been Don Lemon in tow.
Arrests coming.
This weekend an anti-ICE mob targeted a church, emboldened by the reckless rhetoric from Minnesota's sanctuary politicians and the media.
The First Amendment protects speech and peaceful assembly – not rioting.
This administration is committed to upholding… pic.twitter.com/rBlFFiFe7U
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) January 20, 2026
Lawyer up, losers!
