The Libertarian Party of Minnesota has condemned what it regards as unconstitutional and violent conduct by federal law enforcement during an ongoing immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis, calling for the withdrawal of federal agents and greater resistance to growing federal authority.
The party’s Executive Committee unanimously approved a resolution on January 19 denouncing actions taken by the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement since the start of “Operation Metro Surge,” a federal enforcement initiative launched last December under the Trump administration that has expanded immigration activity across the Twin Cities metro area. Federal officials recently said the operation has led to 3,000 arrests since it began, including individuals the government has described as “incredibly dangerous.”
The resolution follows two earlier statements issued by party Chair Rebecca Whiting and Vice Chair Nick Dugger, and comes in response to the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent during an operation. Good, a 37-year-old Minneapolis resident, was killed on January 7 when an ICE agent fired on her vehicle. Federal authorities have defended the agent’s actions as self-defense, stating that Good attempted to strike the agent with her vehicle. State lawmakers, local organizations, and other third parties have denounced ICE’s actions in the wake of the shooting.
In the resolution, the Libertarian Party of Minnesota accuses federal agents of conducting warrantless raids on homes and workplaces, carrying out arbitrary detentions, and harassing individuals at sensitive locations, including schools and hospitals, since the start of Metro Surge. The party argues such actions violate constitutional protections under the First, Fourth, Fifth, and Eighth Amendments and undermine the Tenth Amendment’s reservation of powers to the states and the people.
The party further views the operation as a deliberate escalation of federal enforcement presence in Minnesota, alleging it has generated “widespread chaos, fear, and civil unrest” in affected communities. According to the resolution, individuals not accused of violent crimes have been detained or deported without due process, a practice the party regards as incompatible with constitutional guarantees and principles of limited government.
The resolution also references a January 16 preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez of the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. The injunction restricts DHS and ICE agents from retaliating against peaceful protesters, using crowd-dispersal tools such as pepper spray in response to protected speech, or detaining individuals without probable cause or reasonable suspicion. However, despite the court order, the resolution claims that reports of intimidation, excessive force, and noncompliance by federal agents have continued.
Beyond condemning the enforcement operation itself, the Libertarian Party of Minnesota has called on state and local officials to withhold cooperation from federal agents engaged in actions it deems unlawful. The resolution advocates for the nullification of federal directives that violate civil liberties and urges Congress, the courts, and Minnesota residents to pursue accountability through peaceful means. It further demands the immediate withdrawal of all DHS and ICE personnel from the state.
What’s up with the MN LP? First the chair and the vice chair go rogue with their own “statements”, and then the state party meanders in days later with a statement longer than Gone With The Wind that no one will take the time to read. Come on guys – the party needs to speak with one voice and one statement, short and to the point.