Minnesota AG says office will not enforce federal immigration laws as DOJ threatens to prosecute officials who resist
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota's attorney general says his office will not enforce federal immigration laws as President Trump begins his immigration crackdown.
The announcement came one day after the Department of Justice threatened to prosecute state and local officials who impede Mr. Trump's immigration policies.
Keith Ellison joined a coalition of nearly a dozen other state attorneys general in a statement addressing Acting Deputy Attorney Emil Bove's memorandum, which said that state and local officers who seek to obstruct or refuse to comply with federal immigration law enforcement efforts risk investigation and potential prosecution.
"The President has made troubling threats to weaponize the U.S. Department of Justice's prosecutorial authority and resources to attack public servants acting in compliance with their state laws, interfering with their ability to build trust with the communities they serve and protect," the state attorneys general wrote in a joint statement.
The coalition says the U.S. Constitution and Supreme Court precedent prevent the federal government from "commandeering" states to enforce federal laws. They also cited Printz v. United States, a case that ruled state legislatures are not subject to federal direction.
"This balance of power between the federal government and state governments is a touchstone of our American system of federalism," the statement said.
The group vowed they will continue to investigate and prosecute crimes "regardless of immigration status," saying it is their responsibility to enforce state laws.
"Right now, these vague threats are just that: empty words on paper. But rest assured, our states will not hesitate to respond if these words become illegal actions," they wrote. "We will not be distracted by the President's mass deportation agenda."
While a bill to make Minnesota a sanctuary state failed in 2024, Immigration and Customs Enforcement still considers Anoka, Hennepin, Dakota and Ramsey counties as "sanctuary counties" — a distinction that comes from the counties' refusal to hold non-citizens on detainer, giving ICE a chance to intervene.
A spokesperson for the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office told WCCO it is not involved in immigration enforcement because that is the role of the federal government.
In Minneapolis, a "separation ordinance" restricts city employees from inquiring about immigration status, or from participating in the enforcement of civil immigration issues.
Since becoming president on Monday, Mr. Trump has begun a sweeping crackdown on immigration by tasking the military with border enforcement, shutting down asylum and refugee admissions and attempting to terminate birthright citizenship.
More than 20 states — including Minnesota — have since sued the Trump administration to stop an executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship. On Thursday, a federal judge temporarily blocked the order, calling it "blatantly unconstitutional."
