The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday subpoenaed the offices of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The subpoenas seek documents related to their cooperation—or lack thereof—with federal immigration authorities since 2025, as part of an investigation into whether their public opposition to President Donald Trump’s enforcement surge amounts to a crime.
Trump recently sent thousands of ICE and Border Patrol agents to Minneapolis, leading to violent encounters, protests, and public outrage after an agent fatally shot a woman. Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey criticized the operations as reckless political theater and encouraged residents to document any misconduct by federal officers.
Democrats have filed lawsuits to limit the enforcement surge, and a federal judge recently barred ICE agents from using force against peaceful protesters. Walz and Frey condemned the subpoenas as political intimidation, warning that federal law enforcement should not be used to target local leaders for doing their jobs.
Credit : CGTN