Appeals court pauses restrictions on ICE tactics in Minnesota

Published January 21, 2026 4:44pm ET



A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that a lower court order restricting how federal immigration officers could respond to protests in the Minneapolis area will be paused while the case continues.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit issued a brief order lifting an injunction that was issued Friday by U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez in Minnesota. The district court’s decision had temporarily limited the use of arrests, tear gas, pepper spray, and other force by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers against demonstrators who were not directly engaging in violence and obstruction.

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