Washington Examiner

ACLU seeks reinstated constraints on federal officers in Minnesota

The ACLU asked a federal appeals court to reinstate limits on how federal officers can handle protesters in Minnesota after a U.S. Border Patrol agent fatally shot 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez had recently issued a narrow injunction restricting certain crowd-control tactics, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit temporarily stayed those limits. The ACLU says recent events have escalated tensions and created an urgent need to restore the injunction to prevent irreparable harm to protesters and observers, asking that the administrative stay be lifted by Sunday at 5 p.m. Central. Menendez’s restraints barred officers from arresting or pepper-spraying people who were not directly violent and from treating actions like following ICE vehicles or crowds gathering around officers as justification for force. The Department of Justice opposes the injunction, arguing it threatens public safety and is legally unsound.


ACLU seeks reinstated constraints on federal officers in Minnesota after Alex Pretti shooting

The American Civil Liberties Union requested a reinstatement of constraints on federal officers’ tactics against protesters in Minnesota after federal officers in Minneapolis fatally shot a 37-year-old man.

U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez agreed to impose constraints earlier this month, but the move was temporarily lifted by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit on Wednesday. The ACLU is now arguing that the situation has escalated to an extent that the restraints are more urgently needed.

NOEM TELLS AMERICANS TO STAY ‘ALERT’ AHEAD OF MASSIVE WEEKEND SNOW STORM

People gather during a vigil for 37-year-old Alex Pretti, who was fatally shot by a U.S. Border Patrol officer earlier in the day, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)

The plaintiffs argued that in light of heightened tensions, “it is more essential than ever to reinstate the district court’s narrow, considered injunction to prevent violent retaliation against individuals exercising their constitutional rights.”

“Intervening events that post-date the parties’ filings have created an urgent need for intervention to prevent irreparable injury to the named plaintiffs, protesters, and observers,” the filing read.

“In these circumstances, every hour that a stay remains in place presents new opportunities for irreparable injury to protesters and observers. To prevent that imminent, irreparable harm, Appellees respectfully request that the Court lift the administrative stay immediately, and in no event later than” Sunday at 5 p.m. Central Time, the filing read.

The restraints, previously briefly imposed by Menendez, include forbidding federal officers from arresting or pepper-spraying protesters if they weren’t directly engaging in violence. She also ruled that closely following ICE vehicles and agents couldn’t warrant a response, nor could crowds forming around officers during operations.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE FATAL SHOOTING INVOLVING BORDER PATROL IN MINNESOTA

The Department of Justice argued that the ruling endangered public safety and the safety of immigration officers.

“To be clear, plaintiffs cannot establish any constitutional violations. But regardless, the district court’s injunction is legally untenable several times over,” the DOJ’s filing to overturn the motion read.



" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Back to top button
Available for Amazon Prime
Close

Adblock Detected

Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker