WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit today against the State of Minnesota, the Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Hennepin County, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna S. Witt, challenging sanctuary city policies that allegedly obstruct federal immigration enforcement.
The complaint asserts that these policies violate federal law and have resulted in the release of individuals subject to removal, including non-citizens convicted of aggravated assault, burglary, and drug and human trafficking offenses.
“Minnesota officials are jeopardizing the safety of their own citizens by allowing illegal aliens to circumvent the legal process,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will continue to bring litigation against any jurisdiction that uses sanctuary policies to defy federal law and undermine law enforcement.”
“Shielding illegal aliens from federal law enforcement is a blatant violation of the law that carries dangerous consequences,” added Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the DOJ’s Civil Division.
The lawsuit is part of a broader enforcement initiative launched by Attorney General Bondi on her first day in office, which directed the Civil Division to identify and challenge local and state policies that hinder federal immigration operations. On August 5, 2025, Bondi released a list of sanctuary jurisdictions, including Minnesota, and pledged to pursue legal action to end such practices.
This latest lawsuit follows similar actions filed against jurisdictions in Boston, New York City, Rochester, New Jersey, Colorado, and Los Angeles. The Department has also announced cooperative agreements with other states, including a recent Memorandum of Understanding with Nevada, and reported that the Mayor of Louisville has revoked the city’s sanctuary policy in response to federal pressure.
