A Biden-appointed judge, U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez, issued a whack ruling last week, essentially hamstringing how federal law enforcement deals with peaceful protesters in Minnesota. They couldn’t detain them or deploy tear gas. Granted, some rightly noted that if these clowns assaulted ICE agents, it wouldn’t matter, but still, some little judge doesn’t get to determine the rules of engagement vis-à-vis federal agents enforcing immigration laws.
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
Of course, the Trump administration was going to appeal, and the federal court paused the Menendez decision (via Reuters):
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 a battleground after Renee Nicole Good, 37, was shot and killed by an ICE agent after she rammed into him with her car on January 7. It was a justified shooting. The cellphone footage from the agent shows the point of contact. But the usual suspects and the media said it was murder, and the friendless, crusty, white female horde and their gay allies came out of the bushes to cause mayhem.
The initial Menendez ruling:
