Minnesota school districts sue DHS over immigration enforcement near schools

Two Minnesota school districts have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), alleging that recent immigration enforcement operations have created fear in school communities, disrupted attendance, and interfered with daily school operations, according to a report by K-12 Dive.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Minnesota by Fridley Public Schools and Duluth Public Schools, challenges DHS’s expanded enforcement under “Operation Metro Surge” in the Twin Cities metro area. As reported by K-12 Dive, the districts — joined by Minnesota’s educators union — argue that the deployment of up to 3,000 DHS agents has significantly affected students, families, and school staff.

Allegations of fear and operational disruption

Citing details from the lawsuit, K-12 Dive reported that federal immigration agents were seen near schools, preschools, and bus stops, and in some cases allegedly stopped school vans and detained parents near school grounds.

The complaint states that DHS presence “in and near school property has created an atmosphere of fear” among families, including native-born citizens, naturalized citizens, and legally present immigrants.

According to K-12 Dive, school administrators have altered their routines in response. A principal at one elementary school reportedly checks the campus perimeter daily for DHS agents, while the Fridley superintendent patrols near schools and bus stops each afternoon.

The districts claim they have had to implement additional security measures and divert staff resources to respond to community concerns. DHS did not respond to K-12 Dive’s request for comment at the time of publication.

Policy change under legal challenge

The lawsuit seeks to overturn a Trump administration policy issued at the start of the president’s second term that rescinded long-standing protections limiting immigration enforcement in so-called “sensitive locations,” including schools.

While DHS has maintained that immigration enforcement activity at schools would be “extremely rare,” K-12 Dive reported that multiple incidents have surfaced in recent months through lawsuits and local accounts.

Although earlier legal challenges were brought by parents and advocacy groups, the Minnesota case is among the first filed directly by school districts following what K-12 Dive described as a surge in enforcement nationwide.

Attendance drops and academic concerns

The districts argue that enforcement activity has led to measurable attendance declines. Fridley Public Schools reported that attendance dropped by nearly one-third during Operation Metro Surge, with approximately 400 families opting for remote learning — a shift the district believes may negatively affect academic performance and require additional remediation resources.

K-12 Dive also cited research by Stanford University professor Thomas Dee, who found that immigration raids during the second Trump administration were associated with a 22% increase in daily absences across five California school districts. Younger students were the most affected.

The lawsuit also recounts anecdotal attendance disruptions. On January 9, two days after the killing of Renee Good by ICE agents in Minneapolis, about half of Spanish-speaking students and a quarter of Somali students in nearby St. Paul Public Schools were absent, according to the filing cited by K-12 Dive.

Expanded duties for school staff

Beyond attendance concerns, districts report operational shifts. According to K-12 Dive, school social workers in Minnesota are now delivering groceries to families too fearful to shop in person, diverting time from their regular responsibilities. The lawsuit alleges that agents have followed staff during these deliveries.

Schools in Minnesota, Maine, Illinois, and California have temporarily closed, shifted to remote learning, or adjusted schedules in response to immigration enforcement activity near campuses, K-12 Dive reported.

Attorneys representing the districts argue that the policy change undermines decades of precedent protecting schools as safe spaces for students.

The case could have broader national implications for how immigration enforcement policies intersect with public education systems.Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!