Laserfiche WebLink
2 <br />4936-0413-5952\4 <br />Analysis <br />Intergovernmental immunity prohibits States from discriminating against the Federal <br />Government. United States v. Washington, 142 S. Ct. 1976, 1984, 213 L. Ed. 2d 336 (2022). <br />Under that doctrine, the U.S. Supreme Court has stated that states may not regulate the federal <br />government directly or burdening the Federal Government more than other actors. North Dakota <br />v. United States, 495 U.S. 423, 434, 110 S. Ct. 1986, 1994 (1990). <br />St. Anthony will not offend principles of intergovernmental immunity if its proposed <br />ordinance is neutrally drafted and does not discriminate against the federal government. Federal <br />courts routinely uphold such neutral ordinances and statutes. See, e.g., United States v. New <br />Jersey, Civil Action No. 20-1364 (FLW) (TJB), 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14089, at *36 (D.N.J. Jan. <br />26, 2021) (concluding that a state law did not offend inter-governmental immunity because it did <br />not single out the federal government). <br />Here, St. Anthony may likely enact an ordinance generally prohibiting officials enforcing <br />immigration laws from staging in public parks, provided that the ordinance does not single out <br />federal or ICE officers. Other municipalities in Minnesota have enacted or are considering such <br />provisions. Mayor Jacob Frey, for instance, has already issued an executive order prohibiting ICE <br />from using parks and public spaces as staging areas, and St. Paul appears to be considering a <br />similar ordinance. <br />St. Anthony’s eventual ordinance may not, however, target ICE or federal officers directly, <br />or it will likely constitute an invalid contravention of intergovernmental immunity. CoreCivic, Inc. <br />v. Governor of N.J., 145 F.4th 315, 319 (3d Cir. 2025) (concluding that a New Jersey statute <br />violated intergovernmental immunity because it directly regulated the federal government by <br />banning contracts that only the federal government could make). <br />Question: May St. Anthony require ICE to notify the city of their presence in parks? <br />Answer: St. Anthony may likely not require ICE to inform the City if they intend to operate in the <br />city <br />Analysis: <br />Federal law is clear that if St. Anthony’s eventual ordinance discriminates against or <br />directly regulates ICE or federal officers, it will violate intergovernmental immunity. CoreCivic, Inc. <br />v. Governor of N.J., 145 F.4th 315, 319 (3d Cir. 2025) (concluding that a New Jersey statute <br />violated intergovernmental immunity because it directly regulated the federal government by <br />banning contracts that only the federal government could make). Requiring ICE agents <br />specifically to wear face masks would offend this principle. <br />Question: May St. Anthony require law enforcement to wear body cameras and prohibit face <br />masks? <br />Answer: St. Anthony may likely prohibit face masks and require body cameras for all law <br />enforcement generally, but this proposed ordinance could be on weaker legal footing.