Border Patrol commander vows to proceed tear gasoline use in Minneapolis

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One in every of President Donald Trump 's most outstanding immigration enforcers vowed Saturday to proceed utilizing tear gasoline throughout Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis, after a Minnesota federal decide Friday barred federal officers from utilizing it in opposition to peaceable protesters.

Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino mentioned federal brokers would proceed deploying tear gasoline in opposition to violent protesters who "cross the road" amid ongoing unrest and heightened pressure throughout the Twin Cities.

"We'll proceed to make use of that minimal quantity of pressure obligatory to perform our mission," Bovino mentioned Saturday on "Fox Information Dwell," including that immigration officers have by no means used tear gasoline in opposition to "peaceable protesters."

"We at all times assist the First Amendment , however once they cross the road they usually're violent, we'll use these much less deadly munitions as a result of it retains them secure, it retains our officers secure, and it retains the general public secure," Bovino mentioned.

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<source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/672/378/ice-agents-protestors-clash-minneapolis-shooting-003.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/1344/756/ice-agents-protestors-clash-minneapolis-shooting-003.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/931/523/ice-agents-protestors-clash-minneapolis-shooting-003.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/01/1862/1046/ice-agents-protestors-clash-minneapolis-shooting-003.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"> U.S. Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino joins federal brokers on the scene of a capturing, Jan. 7, in Minneapolis. (Ellen Schmidt/MinnPost by way of AP)

Bovino's feedback after U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez issued a ruling Friday in a case filed in December on behalf of six Minnesota activists, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota, barring federal officers from detaining or deploying tear gasoline in opposition to peaceable protesters who should not obstructing authorities whereas taking part in Operation Metro Surge.

The ruling prohibits federal agents from retaliating in opposition to peaceable protesters or observers, including that federal brokers should present possible trigger or cheap suspicion that somebody has dedicated a criminal offense or is interfering with regulation enforcement operations.

Federal brokers can not use pepper spray or different non-lethal munitions and crowd-dispersal instruments in opposition to peaceable protesters, based on the ruling, and peacefully following officers "at an applicable distance doesn't, by itself, create cheap suspicion to justify a car cease."

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Regulation enforcement officers stand amid tear gasoline on the scene of a reported capturing in Minneapolis on Jan. 14. (AP Photograph/Adam Grey)

The order got here as tensions escalated in Minneapolis after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Good earlier this month throughout a federal immigration enforcement operation. Menendez famous in her ruling that the immigration crackdown by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in Minnesota seems to be escalating.

"There isn't any signal that this operation is winding down—certainly, it seems to nonetheless be ramping up," she wrote.

The City of Minneapolis applauded the courtroom's resolution, whereas urging neighborhood members to be "peaceable and lawful" round immigration brokers.

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"As this can be a federal court order , we anticipate the federal administration to alter course and comply for the security of all," the Metropolis wrote Saturday on X.

"We applaud the courtroom’s resolution within the ACLU’s lawsuit, which prohibits federal immigration brokers from focusing on or retaliating in opposition to these peacefully and lawfully protesting or observing Operation Metro Surge operations."

Minnesota Lawyer Normal Keith Ellison reacted to the ruling, saying that "this preliminary win issues for each Minnesotan exercising their constitutional right to peaceful protest and witness."

Federal brokers deploy tear gasoline as anti-ICE agitators transfer by a smoke-filled avenue throughout an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis, Jan. 13. (Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu by way of Getty Photos)

"Thanks to the ACLU and the plaintiffs for standing agency in protection of this bedrock freedom," he added.

After the ruling, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin mentioned that the First Modification doesn't shield "rioting," including that DHS is "taking applicable and constitutional measures to uphold the rule of regulation and shield our officers and the general public from harmful rioters."

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"We remind the general public that rioting is harmful—obstructing regulation enforcement is a federal crime and assaulting law enforcement is a felony," McLaughlin mentioned in a press release to Fox Information Digital. "Rioters and terrorists have assaulted regulation enforcement, launched fireworks at them, slashed the tires of their autos, and vandalized federal property. Others have chosen to disregard instructions and have tried to impede regulation enforcement operations and used their autos as weapons in opposition to our officers."

McLaughlin added that regulation enforcement has adopted their coaching and has "used the minimal quantity of pressure obligatory to guard themselves, the general public, and federal property."