Minnesota Schools Sue Over ICE Activity Near Campuses

Lawsuit seeks to reinstate federal policy designating schools as 'protected areas' from immigration enforcement.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 11:00pm

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A cinematic painting of an empty school bus parked on a shadowy street, the warm glow of streetlights casting long diagonal shadows, conveying a sense of melancholy and investigation around the issue of immigration enforcement near schools.The lawsuit over increased ICE activity near schools highlights the disruption and fear that immigration enforcement can bring to the learning environment.Fridley Today

School districts in Fridley and Duluth, Minnesota, along with the state teachers union, have filed a lawsuit against federal officials over increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity near school campuses. The lawsuit seeks to reinstate a previous federal policy that designated schools as 'protected areas' off-limits to immigration enforcement.

Why it matters

The lawsuit highlights ongoing tensions between local school leaders and federal immigration authorities over the presence of ICE near schools, which can create a climate of fear and disrupt the learning environment for students. The case could set an important precedent around the legal status of schools as 'protected areas' from immigration enforcement.

The details

The lawsuit was filed by the Fridley and Duluth school districts, as well as the Minnesota Federation of Teachers, against the Department of Homeland Security and ICE. It alleges that the federal government's recent rollback of the 'protected area' policy has led to increased ICE activity and surveillance near school campuses, causing disruption and fear among students and families. The plaintiffs are seeking to have the previous policy reinstated to designate schools as off-limits to immigration enforcement.

  • The lawsuit was filed on April 8, 2026.

The players

Fridley School District

A public school district in Fridley, Minnesota that is a plaintiff in the lawsuit against federal immigration authorities.

Duluth School District

A public school district in Duluth, Minnesota that is a plaintiff in the lawsuit against federal immigration authorities.

Minnesota Federation of Teachers

The state teachers union that is a plaintiff in the lawsuit against federal immigration authorities.

Department of Homeland Security

The federal agency named as a defendant in the lawsuit for rolling back the 'protected area' policy for schools.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal immigration enforcement agency named as a defendant in the lawsuit for increased activity near school campuses.

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What they’re saying

“Schools should be safe havens for students to learn and grow, not places where families live in fear of immigration enforcement.”

— Denise Specht, President, Minnesota Federation of Teachers

What’s next

A federal judge is expected to rule on the lawsuit in the coming weeks, determining whether the 'protected area' policy for schools will be reinstated.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing clash between local school leaders and federal immigration authorities over the presence of ICE near campuses, which can disrupt the learning environment and sow fear among immigrant students and families. The outcome could set an important precedent on the legal status of schools as 'protected areas' off-limits to immigration enforcement.