MINNEAPOLIS – On Monday, Minnesota, along with its two largest cities, took legal action against the Trump administration to halt an intensified immigration crackdown. This surge has been linked to the tragic death of a Minneapolis woman, shot by a federal officer, sparking nationwide outrage and protests.

The lawsuit, filed by the state alongside Minneapolis and St. Paul, argues that the Department of Homeland Security is infringing upon the First Amendment and other constitutional rights. The plaintiffs are seeking a temporary restraining order to either pause the enforcement measures or significantly limit their scope.

“What we are witnessing is essentially a federal intrusion into the Twin Cities that must come to an end,” declared Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison during a press briefing. “These inadequately trained, aggressive, and armed federal agents have been causing widespread fear in Minnesota through unlawful actions.”

Homeland Security has committed to deploying over 2,000 immigration officers in Minnesota, claiming more than 2,000 arrests have been made since December. This move is touted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement as their most extensive enforcement operation to date.

The city of Minneapolis remains tense, following the shooting of Renee Good, who was shot in the head by an ICE officer while in her SUV just five days ago. The community has responded with large-scale school walkouts, emotional gatherings at a makeshift memorial for Good, and confrontations that have led to agents using tear gas to disperse crowds.

There have been dozens of protests or vigils across the U.S. in recent days to honor the 37-year-old mother of three and to passionately criticize the Trump administration’s tactics.

Since the deployment in the Twin Cities, whistle-burst warnings by activists are commonly heard when immigration agents flood streets. Witnesses have regularly posted video of federal officers using tear gas to discourage the public from following them.

Feds say they’re protecting the public

The Minnesota lawsuit accuses the Republican Trump administration of violating free speech rights by focusing on a progressive state that favors Democrats and welcomes immigrants.

“They’re targeting us based on what we look and sound like. Our residents are scared. And as local officials, we have a responsibility to act,” said St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, who was born in Laos.

In response, Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin accused Minnesota officials of ignoring public safety.

“President Trump’s job is to protect the American people and enforce the law — no matter who your mayor, governor, or state attorney general is,” McLaughlin said. “That’s what the Trump administration is doing; we have the Constitution on our side on this, and we look forward to proving that in court.”

The Trump administration has repeatedly defended the immigration agent who shot Good, saying she and her vehicle presented a threat. But that explanation has been widely panned by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and others based on videos of the confrontation.

The government also faces a new lawsuit over a similar immigration crackdown in Illinois. More than 4,300 people were arrested last year in “Operation Midway Blitz” as masked agents swept the Chicago area. The lawsuit by the city and state says the campaign had a chilling effect, making residents afraid to leave home.

The lawsuit seeks restrictions on certain tactics, among other remedies. McLaughlin called it “baseless.”

Students walk out of school

Hundreds of students on Monday walked out of Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis, where federal agents had deployed tear gas on students and staff last week. Adults wearing safety vests cleared traffic, and many parents who are Roosevelt alumni showed up in old school wear.

Marchers held signs that said, “ICE out” and “Welcome to Panem,” a reference to the dystopian society from the “Hunger Games” book series.

Agents also fired tear gas to break up a crowd of people who showed up to see the aftermath of a car crash just a few blocks from where Good was killed. A crowd emerged to witness a man being questioned by agents who had rear-ended his car.

“I’m glad they didn’t shoot me or something,” Christian Molina told reporters.

Standing near his mangled fender, he wondered aloud: “Who’s going to pay for my car?”

In St. Cloud, 65 miles (104 kilometers) northwest of Minneapolis, hundreds of people gathered outside a strip of Somali-run businesses when news spread that dozens of ICE officers were there.

Meanwhile, in Portland, Oregon, federal authorities filed charges against a Venezuelan national who was one of two people shot there by U.S. Border Patrol on Thursday. The U.S. Justice Department said the man used his pickup truck to strike a Border Patrol vehicle and escape the scene with a woman.

They were shot and eventually arrested. Their wounds were not life-threatening. The FBI said there was no video of the incident, unlike the Good shooting.

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Associated Press reporters Ed White in Detroit, Sarah Raza in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Sophia Tareen in Chicago contributed to this report.