MINNESOTA, USA — A federal judge has provisionally rejected Minnesota’s request for a temporary restraining order aimed at halting what Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is calling its “largest operation ever.”

During a Wednesday morning hearing, the judge described the legal battle between Minnesota and the federal government as an unprecedented “frontier” in constitutional law, indicating that more time is needed to collect information before making a decision on the restraining order, KARE 11 reported.

The request for a restraining order coincided with a lawsuit filed in federal court on Monday. Attorney General Keith Ellison claims that what he describes as an “invasion” of Minnesota by federal forces is unlawful. The lawsuit argues that Operation Metro Surge is arbitrary and capricious, alleging that it unfairly singles out Minnesota while other states do not face similar enforcement actions. Additionally, the lawsuit contends that the federal government is politically targeting Minnesota, which would breach First Amendment rights.

The federal government has been given a deadline of Monday, January 19, to respond to Ellison’s lawsuit.

Ellison previously asked residents to submit any evidence tied to the ICE shooting and called for the FBI to work with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension after the federal agency cut state officials off from the investigation. The decision meant the state agency does not have access to evidence, witnesses or agent testimony. 

“This has to stop,” Ellison said. “We allege that the obvious targeting of Minnesota for our diversity, our democracy, and our differences of opinion with the federal government is a violation of the Constitution and of federal law.”