Court allows immigration enforcement activity near Minnesota schools to continue; Lawsuit proceeds
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CHRIS WILLIAMS
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ST. PAUL, Minnesota. May 6, 2026 — A federal court denied a request for a preliminary injunction in Fridley Public School District (ISD 14) et al. v. Mullin et al., allowing immigration enforcement activity at and around public schools in Minnesota to continue for now while the case moves forward.
The lawsuit challenges the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) decision to rescind longstanding protections that limited immigration enforcement in “sensitive locations” such as schools and houses of worship. Plaintiffs argue that the policy has led to enforcement activity near classrooms, bus stops, and school grounds, causing widespread fear, declining attendance, and significant disruptions to learning.
The plaintiffs include Fridley Public Schools (ISD 14), Duluth Public Schools (ISD 709), and Education Minnesota. They are represented by Democracy Forward, Zimmerman Reed LLP, Nilan Johnson Lewis PA, and The Law Office of Kevin C. Riach.
Plaintiffs issued the following joint statement:
“For decades, our schools have been recognized as places where students can learn and grow without fear. The Trump-Vance administration’s decision to allow immigration enforcement at and around schools has disrupted classrooms, driven families away, and created an environment of fear that no child should have to endure. While the court declined to immediately stop that activity, this is not the end of our fight. We brought this case because every student deserves access to education in a safe and stable environment, and we will continue fighting to restore those protections and ensure that schools remain places of learning, not fear.”
Read the decision here.
About Education Minnesota
Education Minnesota is the voice for professional educators and students. Education Minnesota’s members include teachers and education support professionals in Minnesota’s public school districts, faculty members at Minnesota’s community and technical colleges and University of Minnesota campuses in Duluth and Crookston, retired educators and student teachers. Education Minnesota is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association and AFL-CIO.
