The Daily Fuckup

A federal judge on July 21 dismissed the Justice Department’s lawsuit challenging Minnesota sanctuary-style immigration policies. The case, filed Sept. 29, 2025, named Minnesota, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Hennepin County, the state attorney general and the county sheriff as defendants. ([justice.gov](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-minnesota-over-sanctuary-policies?utm_source=openai))

The complaint said those governments were blocking cooperation with federal immigration authorities through state laws and local ordinances. It cited Minnesota statutes and city rules that limit when local officials can hold people for immigration detainers, share immigration-status information or otherwise assist federal enforcement. ([justice.gov](https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1415681/dl?utm_source=openai))

In a July 21 release, the Minnesota attorney general said U.S. District Judge Eric Tostrud dismissed the case and rejected the federal government’s effort to force the state and local governments to participate in immigration enforcement. The release said the court dismissed the claim for lack of jurisdiction and held that the federal government cannot compel state and local law enforcement to hold people on immigration detainers. ([ag.state.mn.us](https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Communications/2026/07/21_Sanctuary-Laws.asp?utm_source=openai))

The ruling is a setback for a Justice Department campaign that has targeted sanctuary policies in several jurisdictions. But the immediate result in Minnesota is narrower than the political noise around it: the federal case is out, at least for now, and the challenged local restrictions remain in place unless a higher court says otherwise. ([justice.gov](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-minnesota-over-sanctuary-policies?utm_source=openai))