Court Order Establishing Mandatory Safety Zones Around Federal Immigration Operations
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA
In re: Protection of Federal Immigration Enforcement Operations
Civil Action No. __________
ORDER
(Protecting ICE and CBP Operations and Prohibiting Unlawful Interference)
I. PURPOSE AND JURISDICTION
This matter comes before the Court upon application seeking immediate injunctive relief to protect lawful federal immigration enforcement operations conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) within the District of Minnesota.
This Court has jurisdiction pursuant to Article III of the Constitution and federal law governing the execution of federal authority, protection of federal officers, and prevention of interference with federal operations.
II. FINDINGS OF FACT
The Court finds as follows:
- ICE and CBP officers are lawfully authorized to conduct immigration enforcement operations under federal statute.
- Recent federal operations have been met with organized and coordinated unlawful interference, including rioting, physical obstruction, vehicle-based interference, removal of federal safety infrastructure, formation of human barricades, and the use of auditory tools that impair officer communications and situational awareness.
- Certain actions and omissions by municipal and state officials have materially encouraged, facilitated, or legitimized interference with federal operations, escalating risk to officers and the public.
- Such conduct exceeds constitutionally protected activity and constitutes unlawful interference with the execution of federal law.
III. DEFINITIONS
- Federal Officers: ICE, CBP, and assisting federal law-enforcement personnel.
- Federal Operations: Any lawful enforcement action, arrest, transport, surveillance, staging, or perimeter security conducted by ICE or CBP.
- Interference: Any act that obstructs, impedes, delays, hinders, or disrupts federal officers in the performance of official duties.
IV. FIVE-METRE FEDERAL SAFETY NO-GO ZONE
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED:
- Establishment of a Moving Safety Zone
A mandatory five (5) metre no-go safety zone is established at all times around:
a. Any ICE or CBP officer engaged in official duties;
b. Any federal law-enforcement vehicle, transport unit, or convoy;
c. Any operational infrastructure, including fencing, barriers, entry/exit points, staging areas, and arrest locations.This safety zone is dynamic and moves continuously with officers, vehicles, and operational assets for the duration of federal operations. - Prohibited Conduct Within the Safety Zone
No person or group shall, without express authorization from federal officers:
a. Enter or remain within five (5) metres of protected officers, vehicles, or assets;
b. Approach, follow, surround, encircle, shadow, or pursue federal officers or vehicles;
c. Park, idle, position, or maneuver vehicles within the safety zone;
d. Walk, cycle, drive, or otherwise traverse an active federal operational zone;
e. Remove, damage, tamper with, or reposition fencing, cones, barriers, or traffic controls deployed by federal authorities. - Presumption and Classification of Violations — NO EXCEPTIONS
Any defiance of this Order—particularly any violation of the five-metre no-go safety zone, whether static or moving—shall be conclusively deemed to constitute OBSTRUCTING AND IMPEDING FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.
This classification applies without exception, including claims of protest, observation, press activity, mistake, ignorance, or reliance on contrary instructions from non-federal officials. - Vehicles as Aggravating Conduct
Use of a motor vehicle to enter, block, penetrate, shadow, or remain within the safety zone constitutes aggravated obstruction, including where vehicles block ingress or egress, impede officer movement, or drive toward officers or federal assets.
V. PROHIBITED ACTS OF OBSTRUCTION AND RIOTING
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED:
No individual or group shall:
- Riot, assault, threaten, harass, intimidate, or attempt to impede federal officers;
- Block or cordon off streets, sidewalks, or traffic to interfere with federal operations;
- Form human barricades to prevent arrests or officer movement;
- Interfere with detainee transport, arrest procedures, or operational security;
- Damage, remove, or defeat federal property or safety infrastructure.
VI. AUDITORY INTERFERENCE AND SECURITY IMPAIRMENT
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED:
- Prohibited Auditory Conduct
The use of whistles, air horns, sirens, amplified sound devices, or any other auditory tools within or directed toward federal operations is prohibited where such use:
a. Masks or interferes with officer commands, warnings, or verbal communications;
b. Impairs situational awareness, threat detection, or officer-to-officer coordination;
c. Provides auditory cover for the throwing or deployment of objects, fireworks, projectiles, or other hazardous items;
d. Is used persistently, repetitively, or in coordination with crowd movement, arrests, vehicle movement, or assaults. - Per Se Violation in Safety Zone
Use of whistles or similar auditory devices within the five (5) metre moving no-go safety zone, or directed into that zone from outside it, is per se prohibited. - Classification of Violations — NO EXCEPTIONS
Any auditory conduct described in this Section that has the effect of impairing officer security, communications, or operational control shall be conclusively deemed to constitute OBSTRUCTING AND IMPEDING FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, NO EXCEPTIONS. - Collective and Coordinated Use
Coordinated or collective use of whistles or auditory devices by multiple persons shall support an inference of facilitation and aiding and abetting unlawful interference with federal operations.
VII. CONDUCT OF STATE AND MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED:
State, county, and municipal officials, including elected officials and law-enforcement leadership, shall not:
- Issue directives, policies, statements, or instructions that encourage, legitimize, excuse, or minimize interference with federal enforcement actions;
- Direct or permit personnel to obstruct, delay, or refuse cooperation necessary to maintain public safety around federal operations;
- Provide material, logistical, or operational support to individuals or organizations engaged in unlawful interference.
Material obstruction by public officials may constitute unlawful interference or insurrection-like conduct subject to separate federal investigation and enforcement.
VIII. UNLAWFUL TRACKING, INFORMATION SHARING, AND FACILITATION OF INTERFERENCE
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED:
-
Prohibition on Tracking and Surveillance
No person, including any state or municipal employee, contractor, or agent, shall engage in or facilitate the tracking, monitoring, shadowing, or surveillance of ICE or CBP officers, vehicles, or operations for the purpose or foreseeable effect of interfering with, obstructing, or impeding federal law enforcement activities. -
Prohibition on Disclosure of Operational Information
No state or municipal employee or official shall disclose, transmit, relay, or coordinate the dissemination of operationally sensitive information, including but not limited to:
a. Locations, routes, staging areas, or timing of federal operations;
b. Movements of federal officers or vehicles in real time or near real time;
c. Tactical or logistical details not available to the general public;
d. Information reasonably understood to assist third parties in locating, confronting, following, or obstructing federal officers. -
Coordination With Third Parties (“Partners”)
Coordination or information-sharing with external “partners,” organizations, or individuals that results in or materially facilitates the tracking, confrontation, or obstruction of ICE or CBP officers shall be deemed facilitation of unlawful interference, regardless of whether the employee or official is physically present at the scene. -
Classification of Violations — NO EXCEPTIONS
Any conduct described in this Section that has the intent or reasonably foreseeable effect of enabling interference with federal operations shall be conclusively deemed OBSTRUCTING AND IMPEDING FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, without exception for claimed policy, protest support, community liaison activity, or political purpose. -
Officials and Employees Covered
This Section applies to all state and municipal employees, elected officials, appointed officials, contractors, and agents, including but not limited to executive, administrative, communications, public safety, and coordination personnel. -
Independent Enforcement
Violations of this Section may be enforced independently of on-scene conduct and may support arrest, referral, or prosecution even where the violator is not physically present during the obstruction.
IIX. AFFIRMATIVE NOTICE AND COMMUNICATION REQUIREMENTS
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED:
- Mandatory Dissemination
All state and municipal officials and employees, including but not limited to Governor Tim Walz, Mayor Jacob Frey, state police, municipal police, and all city and county employees acting in any official capacity, shall take affirmative steps to clearly communicate and enforce this Order. - Persons to Be Notified
This Order shall be made clear to:
a. All protesters, demonstrators, and organized groups;
b. All rioters or disruptive assemblies;
c. All individuals driving, passing through, or stopping near federal operations;
d. All state and local law-enforcement personnel;
e. Any other person who might seek to unlawfully insert themselves into federal immigration enforcement. - Duty to Deter
Officials shall actively ensure that all such persons are informed that:
- Federal operations are lawful;
- The five-metre no-go zone is mandatory and moving;
- Any violation—including auditory interference—constitutes obstructing and impeding federal law enforcement and will result in immediate enforcement.
Failure to provide or enforce such notice may constitute knowing facilitation of unlawful interference.
IX. ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY
Federal officers are authorized to:
- Issue immediate dispersal orders;
- Remove individuals from restricted areas;
- Detain or arrest violators;
- Enforce this Order through arrest and prosecution under applicable federal law.
X. PROTECTED ACTIVITY CLARIFIED
Peaceful observation or recording is permitted only outside the five-metre safety zone and only where it does not impede, obstruct, delay, or endanger federal operations.
XI. DURATION
This Order remains in effect for the duration of federal immigration enforcement operations within the District of Minnesota unless modified or dissolved by this Court.
SO ORDERED.
Dated: ______________________
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
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