Judge, nominated by Trump, rules against him in key Minnesota case - The Hill

What the report says

The Hill reported that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud, a federal judge nominated by President Trump, dismissed a Trump administration lawsuit challenging Minnesota immigration-related “sanctuary” laws and policies. The administration argued in a Monday filing that the state and local measures conflicted with the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause and sought a ruling declaring them unconstitutional, along with an order blocking their enforcement.

In his Monday decision, Tostrud rejected the case, finding that the provisions being challenged did not treat the federal government worse than others in a way that would amount to an intergovernmental immunity violation. The ruling is significant because it leaves Minnesota’s contested local immigration policies in place for now and marks a setback for the administration’s broader effort to challenge sanctuary-style limits on cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

The Hill noted that Minnesota had already been a focal point in the administration’s immigration crackdown earlier this year, including a large federal immigration presence in the state. The outlet also reported public backlash after two U.S. citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Good, were killed in Minneapolis by federal immigration authorities in January, and cited other recent fatal shootings involving ICE officers in Texas and Maine.

The report added context about Tostrud’s prior handling of an immigration-related dispute: in February, he held the Department of Homeland Security in civil contempt for violating a court order involving a detainee later taken to Texas. According to The Hill, the judge ordered compensation for the detainee’s return flight to Minnesota and said federal officials had not adequately explained their actions. The Hill said it contacted the Justice Department for comment.