The U.S. Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into senior officials in Minnesota, including Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, over allegations that they conspired to interfere with federal immigration enforcement, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The source said on Friday that subpoenas had been prepared for Walz and Frey as part of the inquiry, though it remains unclear whether they have been formally served. The investigation was first reported by CBS News.
Probe Linked to Public Statements on ICE Deployment
According to the source, the investigation centers on public remarks made by the Minnesota officials regarding the deployment of thousands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and Border Patrol agents to the Minneapolis area. The surge in federal personnel was ordered by Donald Trump in recent weeks.
Federal authorities are examining whether statements by Walz and Frey amounted to efforts to obstruct or undermine immigration operations, though prosecutors have not publicly detailed the legal basis for the probe.
It would be highly unusual for federal prosecutors to pursue a criminal conspiracy case based solely on public statements by elected officials about government policy.
Walz and Frey Reject Allegations
Walz responded on social media by accusing the Trump administration of politicizing the justice system to target perceived opponents. He compared the investigation to recent scrutiny involving Jerome Powell and Democratic senators Elissa Slotkin and Mark Kelly.
“Weaponizing the justice system against your opponents is an authoritarian tactic,” Walz wrote, arguing the probe was intended to intimidate critics of the administration.
Mayor Frey echoed that view, saying the investigation appeared to be retaliation for his opposition to the federal deployment. “This is an obvious attempt to intimidate me for standing up for Minneapolis, local law enforcement and residents,” Frey said in response to a CNN report on the probe.
Federal Response and Rising Tensions
The Justice Department declined to comment on the investigation. However, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on X that “no one is above the law,” a message widely interpreted as a reference to the unfolding probe.
Nearly 3,000 federal immigration agents have been deployed to Minnesota since early last week, triggering daily protests in Minneapolis, the state’s largest city. Tensions escalated after an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, on January 7 while she was sitting in her car.
Walz has urged demonstrators to remain peaceful but has also encouraged residents to record encounters with ICE agents, saying documentation could be used for potential future accountability.
Political Fallout Continues
Both Walz and Frey have repeatedly called on Trump to end the immigration operation, describing it as a militarized effort that has fueled fear and unrest while placing civilians at risk.
Earlier this week, Deputy U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche blamed the Minnesota leaders for escalating confrontations and said federal authorities were focused on stopping the unrest “by whatever means necessary.”
As protests continue and legal scrutiny intensifies, the investigation adds another layer of uncertainty to an already volatile standoff between federal authorities and local leaders in Minnesota.