Department of Justice Sues Minnesota and Local Entities Over ‘Sanctuary City’ Policies
- Steve Jurrens
- Sep 29
- 2 min read
Northeast Radio SD News - Minnesota - The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit today against the State of Minnesota, the City of Minneapolis, the City of St. Paul, Hennepin County, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna S. Witt. The legal action targets state, city, and county "sanctuary city policies," which the federal government alleges interfere with the enforcement of federal immigration laws.
According to the complaint, the DOJ contends that the sanctuary city policies are illegal under federal law. Furthermore, the complaint alleges that the refusal by Minnesota, Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Hennepin County to cooperate with federal immigration authorities results in the release of dangerous criminals from police custody. The DOJ states these individuals, who would otherwise be subject to removal, include illegal aliens convicted of aggravated assault, burglary, and drug and human trafficking.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated that Minnesota officials are "jeopardizing the safety of their own citizens by allowing illegal aliens to circumvent the legal process." She added that the Department of Justice will "continue to bring litigation against any jurisdiction that uses sanctuary policies to defy federal law and undermine law enforcement.”
Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division echoed this sentiment, noting that "Shielding illegal aliens from federal law enforcement is a blatant violation of the law that carries dangerous consequences." He affirmed that the Civil Division "will continue to vigorously uphold the rule of law by holding sanctuary jurisdictions fully accountable.”
The lawsuit is consistent with recent directives from Attorney General Bondi. On her first day in office, she instructed the Department’s Civil Division to identify state and local laws, policies, and practices that impede lawful federal immigration operations. On August 5, 2025, Attorney General Bondi published a list of sanctuary jurisdictions, which included Minnesota, and vowed to pursue litigation against them.
Today's lawsuit represents the latest in a series of legal actions brought by the Civil Division against sanctuary city policies nationwide, including those in Boston, New York City, Rochester, New Jersey, Colorado, and Los Angeles. In related efforts, the Department recently announced a new Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate with Nevada on immigration enforcement fully, and the Mayor of Louisville revoked the city’s sanctuary policy after the Justice Department threatened legal action.
