When the Trump administration’s immigration team ended its enforcement operation in Minnesota, they called it a big success, saying they had removed many “violent criminals.” But immigrants held in detention and the lawsuits filed in federal court paint a very different picture of what actually happened.
Hundreds of immigrants were picked up during what the government called Operation Metro Surge — a large federal immigration enforcement effort in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area. Instead of only arresting people with serious criminal records, many of those detained had no criminal history at all, and some were simply working or living their everyday lives when agents grabbed them.
Detainees say their experiences contradict the government’s description of the operation. Many were stopped without warning by federal agents wearing masks and heavy gear. Some were taken by surprise while doing normal things like clearing snow off houses, working at their jobs, or leaving their homes. Detainees said the agents did not give them a clear chance to talk to a lawyer before moving them out of Minnesota. Instead, they were rushed onto planes and sent far away, often to detention facilities in Texas or New Mexico. They said this made it extremely hard to communicate with family or get legal help.
One man who spoke to Notus said he had no criminal record and came to the U.S. to work. He told journalists that agents handcuffed him, took him to a federal building in Minneapolis, and then flew him to a distant detention center before he could speak with a lawyer or post bail. Others described overcrowded, unsanitary conditions, with people sleeping on floors and having limited access to clean water.
Several habeas corpus lawsuits — legal filings where detained people argue they are being held unlawfully — were filed as a result of the detentions. Federal judges have had to deal with a huge number of these cases, which has overwhelmed the courts. Some judges have ordered immediate releases when people showed they were wrongfully detained.
These lawsuits show that many detainees didn’t fit the “criminal” label the White House used. A judge in one case quickly freed a man who had fled violence in his home country and had no criminal history. In another, a young immigrant who already had legal status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was detained even after explaining his protected status to agents.
Detainees also criticized how they were treated during transport. Some said they were chained together on bus rides that lasted hours, separated from family members, and left in detention facilities without proper medical care. One person described becoming seriously ill and feeling like their life was at risk.
The lawsuits and interviews highlight widespread complaints that agents did not respect basic legal rights like access to counsel. Legal experts and civil rights advocates argue that quickly moving detainees out of the state and limiting phone access prevented them from challenging their detention in court or preparing a defense.
The federal government defended its operation by claiming it properly targeted dangerous individuals and protected public safety. But the accounts from detained people and the strong pushback from courts and lawyers paint a more chaotic, harmful picture. Judges have repeatedly raised concerns about constitutional rights being violated, stressing that immigration enforcement must still respect due process and equal protection under the law.
In some related legal actions in Minnesota, federal judges even ordered that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) must allow detainees to access attorneys quickly and stop transferring them out of state before they get a chance to speak with counsel. One judge called the lack of preparation and notice unacceptable, saying constitutional rights can’t be ignored for the sake of speeding up detentions.
Overall, while the Trump administration characterized the Minnesota operation as successful and necessary, many of the people caught up in it — and the legal challenges that followed — tell a story of rushed arrests, mistreatment, and violations of basic legal rights.
