From the inbox:
Harris County has joined an amicus brief in the case Minnesota v. Noem, supporting the state of Minnesota and the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul in a lawsuit against the federal government’s “Operation Metro Surge” immigration enforcement actions.
The lawsuit challenges an unprecedented deployment of thousands of masked and armed federal immigration officers to Minneapolis and St. Paul that began in December 2025. The operation represents the largest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) action ever conducted and has resulted in more than 2,000 arrests since its inception.
The amicus brief, filed on behalf of Harris County and other municipalities across the nation, argues that such militarized federal operations create widespread fear in communities, deterring residents from carrying out essential daily activities, including attending school, seeking medical care, and participating in civic life out of fear of being stopped or detained by ICE agents.
“Harris County is pushing back against federal overreach and standing up for our communities,” said Harris County Attorney Jonathan Fombonne. “When federal actions create an environment of fear that prevents people from going to school, visiting their doctors, or simply living their daily lives, we have a responsibility to speak out. This is about protecting the constitutional rights of all residents and ensuring our communities remain safe and welcoming places for everyone.”
“ICE’s militarized raids in Minnesota are an alarming abuse of power that continue Donald Trump’s pattern of systematic brutality and dehumanization against immigrant and non-immigrant residents. We must defend our constitutional rights and freedoms, and protect our families from being terrorized. Harris County stands with Minnesota because real safety is built on trust—not fear—and we call for robust accountability for ICE’s racist abuses and rights violations. Our fight is for every community to live free from intimidation, to uphold the rule of law, and to ensure that justice prevails,” said Commissioner Rodney Ellis
“Federal overreach in Minnesota has done nothing to improve public safety. Their methods have had the opposite effect, and the results have led to widespread chaos. Instead of what’s happening now, Federal authorities should work with local officials and agencies on surgical operations to remove the most dangerous offenders as promised by this administration. Until they take a more productive course, I am joining legal action to attempt to stop the terror from continuing,” said Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia
“No president or administration in the United States of America is above the rule of law. The protections of our Constitution are non-negotiable; our right to due process must be respected. Despite President Trump’s efforts to sow division, spread fear, and create chaos, our Constitution must prevail,” said Commissioner Lesley Briones
Harris County joins municipalities across the country in expressing concern about the precedent set by such large-scale, militarized federal operations in American cities and the chilling effect they have on community trust and public safety.
See here for more on the lawsuit. This amicus was filed before the most recent atrocity occurrred. I fully support this action, I’m glad but not surprised that Harris County is continuing to get in these fights, and I of course hope for a good outcome, because we are absolutely on the list for some point in the future if we don’t stop it now. And I am so ready for the day when we don’t have to get involved in this kind of fight because we’re not having them in the first place.