|Updated:
A federal judge in Minnesota on Friday ruled that federal immigration agents can’t detain or use nonlethal munitions and crowd dispersal tools on peaceful protesters who aren’t obstructing authorities, including when these people are observing the agents.
The decision, handed down by U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez, stems from a lawsuit brought last month by six local activists.
These individuals, backed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Minnesota, said that Homeland Security (DHS) personnel were infringing on their First Amendment rights when they observed federal agents performing their duties.
After the ruling, Tricia McLaughlin, DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, issued a statement saying her agency was taking “appropriate and constitutional measures to uphold the rule of law and protect our officers and the public from dangerous rioters.”