Minnesota Residents Defeat Federal Immigration Crackdown Through Nonviolent Resistance

Community unity, civil disobedience, and legal challenges force Trump administration to back down

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

In the winter of 2026, Minnesotans engaged in a powerful display of nonviolent resistance against a federal immigration crackdown led by the Trump administration. Through coordinated community efforts, libertarian-leaning civil disobedience, and legal challenges, residents were able to defeat the administration's aggressive tactics and force them to retreat, marking a significant victory for democracy and civil liberties.

Why it matters

This story highlights how determined, nonviolent resistance from local communities can successfully push back against authoritarian overreach by the federal government. It provides important lessons about the power of civic engagement, the role of strong institutions, and the limitations of brute force in the face of principled opposition.

The details

Federal agents, known as "Operation Metro Surge," descended on Minnesota communities, engaging in tactics like racial profiling, detaining immigrants, and even shooting and killing two American citizens. However, Minnesotans responded with mass mobilization, using tactics like bullhorns, whistles, chants, and marches to confront the agents. Churches, mosques, and synagogues provided material and spiritual support to immigrants and their defenders. The state's strong social institutions and high levels of civic engagement also played a crucial role in sustaining the resistance.

  • In late 2025, the Trump administration launched "Operation Metro Surge" to crack down on immigration in Minnesota.
  • Over the following two months, federal agents engaged in a campaign of aggressive tactics against immigrant communities and their supporters.
  • In February 2026, federal judges issued a series of rulings condemning the administration's unconstitutional actions, severely undercutting their justification for the crackdown.
  • By late February 2026, the Trump administration announced it was ending the immigration operation in Minnesota, citing its lack of success.

The players

Tom Homan

A $50,000 man and border czar for the Trump administration who announced the end of the immigration crackdown in Minnesota.

Judge Jerry Blackwell

A federal judge who issued a scathing rebuke of the Trump administration's insubordination and failure to follow court orders to release detainees.

Brian O'Hara

The Minneapolis Police Chief who publicly criticized the federal agents' tactics and revealed that two of the three recent homicides in the city were committed by the federal forces.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The DOJ, the DHS, and ICE are not above the law. They do wield extraordinary power, and that power has to exist within constitutional limits.”

— Judge Jerry Blackwell (Minneapolis Star Tribune)

“Liberals, leftists, moderates, socialists, communists, and f---ing all the rest have an opportunity here to come together and fight fascism. That means, for the moment, FOR THE F---ING MOMENT, to not be a dumb-ss b-tch about factionalism and old beefs. Just for now. For a bit.”

— Anonymous Militant Leftist (X (formerly Twitter)

What’s next

Federal prosecutors who resigned in protest over the administration's tactics may face professional consequences, while the Republican lawmakers who aided the crackdown could face electoral repercussions in the upcoming November elections.

The takeaway

This story demonstrates how a united, nonviolent community response can successfully push back against authoritarian overreach, even from the federal government. It highlights the importance of strong civic institutions, bipartisan cooperation, and principled resistance in defending democracy and civil liberties.