ACLU Launches Class-Action Lawsuit Against Trump Administration Over Alleged Racial Profiling in Minnesota ICE Operations
Minneapolis, MN — The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Minnesota, alongside national ACLU affiliates and several prominent law firms, has filed a class-action lawsuit against the Trump administration, accusing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents of widespread racial profiling, suspicionless stops, and warrantless arrests targeting Somali and Latino communities in Minnesota.[1][2][3]
Class-Action Suit Represents Three Plaintiffs and Broader Community
The lawsuit, filed on January 15, 2026, in federal court as Hussen v. Noem, represents three Minnesotan plaintiffs—two Somali men and one Latino man—along with a proposed class of similarly affected individuals. It challenges what plaintiffs describe as systemic violations of constitutional rights, including the Fourth Amendment’s protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, and the Fourteenth Amendment’s equal protection clause.[2][3][6]
Lead plaintiff Mubashir Khalif Hussen, a U.S. citizen, recounted a harrowing encounter with masked ICE agents at the Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis. Hussen alleges agents detained him without requesting identification or inquiring about his immigration status, only verifying his U.S. passport after he was already in custody. He was also reportedly pepper-sprayed the previous week for filming federal agents.[1][4]
“They did not ask for any identifying information, nor did they ask about my ties to the community… ICE and CBP’s practices are both illegal and morally reprehensible,” Hussen stated in the complaint, echoed by ACLU-MN staff attorney Catherine Ahlin-Halverson.[2][3]
Operation Metro Surge Sparks Escalation
The legal action comes amid Operation Metro Surge, a Trump administration initiative that has deployed thousands of federal agents—currently numbering around 3,000—to Minnesota streets since late last month. Officials claim the operation has resulted in 2,500 arrests, but critics argue it has fostered an atmosphere of fear through indiscriminate enforcement.[1][4]
AHlin-Halverson emphasized the operation’s disproportionate impact: “Federal agents’ conduct—sweeping up Minnesotans through racial profiling and unlawful arrests—is a grave violation of Minnesotans’ most fundamental rights, and it has spread fear among immigrant communities and neighborhoods. No one, including federal agents, is above the law.”[1][3]
The ACLU links the surge directly to inflammatory rhetoric from President Trump, who reportedly referred to Somalis as “garbage,” stated “we don’t want them in our country,” and urged them to “go back to where they came from.” Following these comments, agents allegedly began targeting individuals perceived as Somali or Latino without warrants or probable cause.[2][3]
Broader Context: Tensions Boil Over in Minnesota
The lawsuit follows a federal judge’s denial of Minnesota’s earlier request for an immediate halt to the operations. Tensions escalated further when President Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy U.S. troops, prompting Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to deliver a primetime address urging peaceful protests and the recording of ICE activities for potential prosecutions.[4][5]
Gov. Walz called on Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to “end this occupation,” highlighting incidents such as an alleged attack on a federal officer by migrants using a snow shovel and broom handle.[4]
Legal Teams Unite Against Federal Overreach
Joining the ACLU are high-profile firms Covington & Burling LLP, Greene Espel PLLP, and Robins Kaplan LLP. Robert Fram, senior counsel at Covington & Burling, declared: “The people of Minnesota are courageously standing up to the reign of terror unleashed by the Trump administration. We are proud to stand with them.”[1]
The plaintiffs seek a preliminary injunction and emergency order to bar federal agents from further constitutional violations. The suit argues that agents in military gear have ignored basic rights, extending enforcement to U.S. citizens, legal residents, people of color, and Native Americans based on perceived ethnicity.[4][5]
Community Impact and Federal Response
Minnesota’s immigrant-heavy neighborhoods, particularly those with Somali and Latino populations, report heightened anxiety. FOX 9 reported that the ACLU suit alleges repeated civil rights violations, including detentions of U.S. citizens without cause.[1][5]
Federal officials have not immediately responded to the lawsuit but maintain Operation Metro Surge targets criminal elements. CBS News noted discrepancies, such as federal claims of migrant violence against officers.[4]
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Filed By | ACLU, ACLU-MN, Covington & Burling, Greene Espel, Robins Kaplan |
| Plaintiffs | 3 Minnesotans (2 Somali, 1 Latino) + class |
| Allegations | Racial profiling, warrantless arrests, suspicionless stops |
| Operation | Metro Surge: 3,000 agents, 2,500 arrests |
| Date Filed | January 15, 2026 |
Potential Ramifications
If successful, the lawsuit could curtail federal immigration enforcement tactics nationwide, setting precedents on racial profiling in domestic operations. As Minnesota braces for continued protests and legal battles, the case underscores deepening national divides over immigration policy under the Trump administration.[2][6]
Legal experts anticipate swift court action, with the ACLU pushing for an emergency hearing. Meanwhile, community leaders encourage documentation of encounters to bolster future claims.[4]
This developing story will be updated as new details emerge from the federal courtroom.