Minneapolis and Chicago are taking on the federal government, filing lawsuits monday to block the Trump management’s deployment of federal agents to their cities, alleging a violation of states’ rights.
States Push Back against Federal Immigration Tactics
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Minnesota and Illinois are challenging the administration’s use of federal power, citing concerns over constitutional overreach and the impact on local communities.
- Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker filed separate lawsuits Monday.
- Both states argue the federal government is exceeding its authority under the Tenth Amendment.
- The legal battles center on the deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol agents.
- The suits claim the federal actions are coercive and interfere with local governance.
The core of the dispute revolves around the Tenth Amendment,which defines the balance of power between the federal government and the states. The lawsuits assert that the surge in federal agents represents an overreach of federal authority and infringes upon the states’ sovereign rights to govern within their borders.
Constitutional Clash: States’ Rights vs.Federal Power
Minnesota Attorney General Keith ellison stated the Constitution “grants Minnesota sovereign authority to protect the health and well-being of each and every person living within our borders.” He added at a Monday news conference, “We are going to defend those rights as – as much as they like to beleive it – the De
“It was designed to protect individuals from abuse of power by the Government,” she said.
goodwin emphasized that the Tenth Amendment established states as retaining sovereign power to create and regulate local laws, including education, police forces, and election rules, unless Congress or the Constitution grants authority to the federal government.
Allegations of Political Motivation
However, more than 230 years after the Tenth Amendment’s ratification, Minnesota and Illinois allege the increased presence of federal agents is hindering their ability to govern and ensure resident safety. University of Chicago clinical professor of law Craig Futterman noted the states’ theory is that the federal government is using immigration enforcement as a pretext to attack Democratic-led cities and interfere with local policies.
Minnesota’s lawsuit argues the administration’s “aggressive, militarized offensive” interferes with state and local law enforcement’s ability to combat crime and protect residents. Illinois officials allege DHS’s “incursion” has disrupted lives and undermined property rights.
Chicago, Minneapolis, and Saint Paul are also plaintiffs in the legal actions. The states and cities contend the administration’s actions are punitive, seeking to “coerce” them into adopting federal policies.Essentially,both states are asking the courts to limit ICE’s enforcement of immigration laws based on the Tenth Amendment.
“That doesn’t necessarily mean that what’s being argued is going to be recognized by a federal judge or the Supreme Court,” Goodwin cautioned,adding these are “first impression cases” – situations the courts haven’t addressed before.
Futterman recalled that before the Civil Rights Movement, Southern states invoked the Tenth Amendment to defend segregation. Though, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ultimately gave the federal government the authority to enforce equality, overriding state sovereignty in that context.
Both Futterman and Goodwin agree the Minnesota and Illinois lawsuits present an unusual request of the Tenth Amendment. “It seems politics is taking a turn,” Futterman said. “Traditionally, states’ rights arguments have often been raised as a defense to federal attempts to enforce civil rights laws…and here the states are saying: ‘What’s happening is the opposite: it’s the federal government that’s attacking the states for protecting vulnerable populations.'”
“These types of cases and lawsuits don’t come up every day.”
