The Justice Department has issued a series of grand jury subpoenas to top Minnesota officials, dramatically escalating a federal investigation into whether state and local leaders interfered with immigration enforcement during a sweeping federal operation in the Twin Cities.
According to documents and multiple people familiar with the matter, subpoenas seeking records were delivered to the offices of Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, and officials in Hennepin and Ramsey counties. The subpoenas were served the same day Attorney General Pam Bondi visited Minnesota, underscoring the growing clash between federal authorities and Democratic leaders in the state.
Federal prosecutors are examining whether public statements or directives from state and local officials amounted to a conspiracy to obstruct federal officers carrying out immigration duties. Sources say the investigation centers on a rarely used federal conspiracy statute, 18 USC 372, a Civil War-era law that was also applied in cases tied to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. The subpoenas themselves do not spell out specific criminal charges.
The probe follows weeks of tension after the Department of Homeland Security launched a massive immigration enforcement push in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area. Roughly 3,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents were deployed — a force far larger than the Minneapolis Police Department — as part of what the administration calls Operation Metro Surge. Federal officials say more than 3,000 people suspected of being in the country illegally have been arrested.
The crackdown intensified public outrage after an ICE officer shot and killed Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and mother of three, on Jan. 7. Authorities say the officer, Jonathan Ross, fired in self-defense, though video of the encounter shows Good’s vehicle slowly turning away at the moment she was shot. The killing sparked sustained protests, frequent confrontations between residents and federal agents, and the use of tear gas and chemical irritants by officers.
Frey and Ellison both confirmed receiving subpoenas and sharply condemned the Justice Department’s actions. Frey accused federal officials of abusing their authority, saying, “When the federal government weaponizes its power to try to intimidate local leaders for doing their jobs, every American should be concerned. We shouldn’t have to live in a country where people fear that federal law enforcement will be used to play politics or crack down on local voices they disagree with. In Minneapolis, we won’t be afraid. We know the difference between right and wrong and, as Mayor, I’ll continue doing the job I was elected to do: keeping our community safe and standing up for our values.”
Ellison said the subpoena directed to his office seeks documents, not his personal testimony, and suggested it was retaliatory. “Everything about this is highly irregular, especially the fact that this comes shortly after my office sued the Trump Administration to challenge their illegal actions within Minnesota,” he said. “Let’s be clear about why this is happening: Donald Trump is coming after the people of Minnesota and I’m standing in his way.”
Her said she is “unfazed by these tactics” and vowed to continue advocating for her community.
The subpoenas require Frey’s office to produce records and provide testimony on Feb. 3, including communications related to cooperation — or lack thereof — with federal immigration authorities and guidance issued to residents about interacting with immigration officers.
Minnesota and several cities have asked a federal judge to halt or limit the enforcement surge, arguing it violates constitutional protections and relies on what Ellison has described as poorly trained, heavily armed officers. Meanwhile, tensions on the ground remain high. Local police leaders say federal agents have stopped U.S. citizens and even off-duty officers without cause. President Donald Trump last week floated the idea of invoking an 1807 law to deploy troops to Minnesota, though he has since softened those remarks publicly.
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