DOJ Subpoenas Walz, Ellison, Others Over Potential ICE Obstruction
Federal prosecutors have launched a sweeping investigation into top Democratic leadership in Minnesota, issuing grand jury subpoenas to Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and multiple local officials over allegations they may have interfered with federal immigration enforcement.
According to multiple reports, the U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday served subpoenas on at least six Minnesota government offices. Those targeted include the offices of Walz, Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, and officials in Ramsey and Hennepin counties. Prosecutors are seeking records, communications, and policy documents related to actions taken by state and local leaders concerning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.
The subpoenas stem from a federal probe examining whether Minnesota officials coordinated efforts to obstruct ICE agents during Operation Metro Surge, a major immigration enforcement initiative in the Minneapolis–St. Paul region that has sparked fierce opposition from Democratic leaders.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche warned Walz and Ellison last week that he was “focused on stopping YOU from your terrorism by whatever means necessary,” according to reporting on the investigation.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has accused Walz and Ellison of fueling hostility toward federal officers, a claim previously reported by Just the News. The Justice Department’s move signals a sharp escalation in its standoff with Minnesota Democrats who have openly attacked federal immigration enforcement and questioned ICE’s role in maintaining public safety.
Walz’s office confirmed receipt of the subpoena but dismissed the investigation as politically motivated. Walz accused federal authorities of staging “political theater” and argued the inquiry diverts attention from local priorities. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey echoed those claims, accusing the federal government of abusing its power to intimidate local officials.
“Weaponizing the justice system against your opponents is an authoritarian tactic,” Walz said on X. “The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her.”
Secretary Noem rejected that assertion during a media appearance, stating that the officer involved had been reviewed under longstanding federal procedures that predate the current administration and were also in effect during the Biden administration.
Ellison similarly denounced the subpoenas as retaliation aimed at silencing critics of the administration’s immigration crackdown. Frey accused the Justice Department of attempting to bully him for backing city leaders, law enforcement officers, and residents who protested ICE operations.
“I will not be intimidated,” Frey insisted on X on Friday. “My focus remains where it’s always been: keeping our city safe.”
The Justice Department declined to comment publicly on the investigation or clarify the full scope of the subpoenas, citing the ongoing nature of the probe.
The inquiry unfolds amid heightened tensions in Minnesota following the fatal shooting of Renée Good by an ICE agent during a protest earlier this month. The incident intensified attacks on ICE and prompted renewed scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement tactics across the state.
Some legal analysts have suggested that deploying grand jury subpoenas against elected officials for their public positions and policies is highly unusual and could raise constitutional concerns. Federal prosecutors, however, maintain they have clear authority to investigate whether state and local officials unlawfully obstructed federal officers.
President Donald J. Trump, currently serving his second term, has directly blamed Walz and Rep. Ilhan Omar for exploiting anti-ICE protests to deflect from corruption and fraud cases in Minnesota. In a series of social media posts, Trump defended ICE’s mission and condemned local resistance.
“ICE is removing some of the most violent criminals in the World from our Country, and bring them back home, where they belong. Why is Minnesota fighting this? Do they really want murderers and drug dealers to be ensconced in their community? The thugs that are protesting include many highly paid professional agitators and anarchists. Is this really what Minnesota wants?” Trump wrote.
As the investigation continues, the clash underscores the widening divide between the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement agenda and Democratic officials in sanctuary-minded states.