Trump-Appointed Judge Finds ICE Likely Ran Unlawful Racial Profiling Operation

Federal judge rules administration likely violated Constitution during 'Operation Metro Surge' in Minnesota

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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A federal judge appointed by former President Donald Trump issued a 111-page ruling finding that the Trump administration's immigration enforcement agency, ICE, likely ran an unconstitutional racial profiling operation targeting Black and Latino residents in Minnesota during a 3,000-officer crackdown known as 'Operation Metro Surge'.

Why it matters

The ruling is a significant rebuke of the Trump administration's immigration policies and enforcement tactics, which have faced widespread criticism for unfairly targeting minority communities. While the judge ultimately denied an injunction, the finding that ICE likely violated the Constitution is an important victory for civil liberties advocates.

The details

The judge concluded that ICE and Border Patrol agents detained more than two dozen American citizens and legal residents during the operation based solely on their skin color, in apparent violation of the Fourth Amendment. Examples cited include a Somali man grabbed while walking to a mosque, a Hispanic Target employee tackled and had an officer's knee pressed to his neck, and a naturalized U.S. citizen detained on his own porch and threatened by an agent.

  • The ruling was issued on March 9, 2026.
  • The 'Operation Metro Surge' crackdown took place in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota.

The players

Judge Eric Tostrud

A federal judge appointed to the bench by former President Donald Trump, who issued the 111-page ruling finding ICE likely engaged in unconstitutional racial profiling.

Mubashir Khalif Hussen, Mahamed Eydarus and Jonathan Aguilar Garcia

Plaintiffs who sued the Trump administration over the 'Operation Metro Surge' crackdown.

ICE

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, which the judge found likely ran an unconstitutional racial profiling operation.

U.S. Border Patrol

The federal law enforcement agency that, along with ICE, the judge found likely detained individuals based solely on their race or ethnicity.

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What they’re saying

“This is HUGE. In a lawsuit against Operation Metro Surge, a Trump appointee rules that @DHSGov 'likely maintained unconstitional policies' during the massive ICE operation.”

— Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, Senior Fellow at American Immigration Council (X)

“Plaintiffs are likely to prevail on the merits of their Fourth Amendment claim.”

— Ryan Goodman, Chaired Professor at NYU Law and Co-Editor-in-Chief of Just Security (Twitter)

What’s next

The judge denied the plaintiffs' request for an injunction, ruling they could not prove they were likely to be targeted again now that the 'Operation Metro Surge' crackdown has wound down. However, the finding that ICE likely violated the Constitution could pave the way for further legal challenges to the agency's tactics.

The takeaway

This ruling serves as a rebuke of the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement policies, which have been criticized for unfairly targeting minority communities. While the judge stopped short of issuing an injunction, the finding that ICE likely engaged in unconstitutional racial profiling is a significant victory for civil liberties advocates and a warning to the agency about the limits of its authority.