In a significant decision on Friday, a judge in Minnesota issued a directive preventing federal agents from arresting or using tear gas against peaceful demonstrators not hindering authorities during the Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis.

The ruling, delivered by U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez, places limitations on the activities of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal entities amidst ongoing protests. This comes in the wake of heightened tensions following the fatal shooting of Minnesota resident Renee Good by an ICE agent earlier this month.

According to the order, officers are not allowed to retaliate against individuals who are peacefully protesting or observing immigration officials. It also mandates that federal agents must have probable cause or reasonable suspicion before accusing someone of a crime or interference with law enforcement operations.

In response to the order, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin emphasized that while the First Amendment does not cover “rioting,” DHS is committed to taking lawful and constitutional actions to maintain order and ensure the safety of both their officers and the public from potential threats.

Law enforcement personnel are seen amidst tear gas at the site of a reported shooting on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, in Minneapolis. (Adam Gray/AP Photo)

“We remind the public that rioting is dangerous—obstructing law enforcement is a federal crime and assaulting law enforcement is a felony,” McLaughlin said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Rioters and terrorists have assaulted law enforcement, launched fireworks at them, slashed the tires of their vehicles, and vandalized federal property. Others have chosen to ignore commands and have attempted to impede law enforcement operations and used their vehicles as weapons against our officers.”

McLaughlin added that “assaulting and obstructing law enforcement is a felony.” 

“Despite these grave threats and dangerous situations, our law enforcement has followed their training and used the minimum amount of force necessary to protect themselves, the public, and federal property,” she stated.

Federal immigration officers confront protesters outside Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 15, 2026.  (Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Under the ruling, federal agents cannot use pepper-spray or other non-lethal munitions and crowd dispersal tools against peaceful protesters, the ruling states.

Additionally, Menendez wrote that safely following officers “at an appropriate distance does not, by itself, create reasonable suspicion to justify a vehicle stop.”

The ruling stems from a case filed in December on behalf of six Minnesota activists, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota, who argued that government officers were violating the constitutional rights of Twin City residents.

Federal agents deal with agitators outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 14, 2026. (Jamie Vera/Fox News)

Government attorneys said officers were acting within their legal authority and appropriately to violence as they’ve enforced immigration laws across the country and in Minnesota.

The ongoing unrest in Minneapolis comes after two recent shootings involving ICE agents in the city.

Good died on Jan. 7 after an ICE agent shot into her vehicle through the driver’s side windshield and open window after she allegedly attempted to run him over. He could be heard on video after the fact saying “f—ing b—h” as her car crashed into a parked car.

While Democrats and local residents have condemned the shooting as a murder and called for the agent’s prosecution, the Trump administration and Republican lawmakers have defended the incident, arguing it was a justified shooting.

Members of law enforcement work the scene following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent during federal operations on Jan. 7, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Then, on Wednesday, an ICE officer was seriously injured after being ambushed by three illegal immigrants during a traffic stop targeting a Venezuelan national, according to federal officials. One suspect was shot, and all three were taken into custody after the stop escalated into a foot chase and violent struggle, authorities said.

Menendez is presiding over a separate lawsuit filed Monday by the state of Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul seeking to suspend the enforcement crackdown.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.