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Federal subpoenas target Minnesota leaders amid immigration dispute
The U.S. Justice Department has delivered legal summonses to top Democratic officials in Minnesota, accusing them of obstructing federal immigration enforcement efforts. Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey were among those served as U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi visited the state following weeks of protests.
Officials denounce probe as politically motivated
Walz condemned the investigation as a "partisan distraction," arguing the Justice Department had failed to address the killing of protester Renee Good, 37, whose death during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation sparked unrest. Frey accused the Trump administration of "weaponizing" federal law enforcement to target local leaders for opposing its policies.
"When the federal government weaponizes its power to try to intimidate local leaders for doing their jobs, every American should be concerned."
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey
Ellison, Minnesota's top prosecutor, revealed on social media that his office received a grand jury subpoena demanding documents related to its interactions with federal immigration authorities. He called the timing "highly irregular," noting it followed his lawsuit against the Trump administration over its immigration actions in the state.
Tensions escalate after fatal shooting by ICE agent
Protests intensified after Good was fatally shot by an ICE agent on January 7. Federal officials claim the agent acted in self-defense, while local leaders argue Good posed no threat. President Donald Trump described her death as a "tragedy" but stopped short of criticizing the agent. During a press briefing, he expressed sympathy for Good's parents, who he said were Trump supporters, and reiterated his support for their vote.
Trump also doubled down on his criticism of demonstrators, labeling them "professional agitators" who "want to see our country do badly."
Federal crackdown meets local resistance
The Justice Department has accused activists of desecrating a church during protests against ICE, vowing to investigate potential civil rights violations. Meanwhile, federal officials have defended their operations, stating they are targeting "the worst of the worst" in Minnesota as part of Operation Metro Surge. Over the past six weeks, Homeland Security reports arresting 3,000 individuals it describes as "some of the most dangerous offenders."
Local authorities, however, have accused ICE of racial profiling. Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said off-duty officers of color were stopped and asked for proof of citizenship. Walz and Frey have demanded ICE withdraw from the area, while the state has filed legal challenges to block the federal deployment.
Trump threatens Insurrection Act amid unrest
Following a night of protests and vandalism-including an incident where an ICE agent was allegedly attacked with a shovel by three Venezuelan migrants-Trump suggested he might invoke the Insurrection Act, a rarely used law allowing military intervention in domestic disturbances. The president has repeatedly tied the ICE surge in Minnesota to fraud cases involving the state's Somali community, calling Somalia "a backward country, probably the worst country" during a Tuesday briefing.
Nearly 3,000 federal officers have been deployed to Minnesota in recent weeks, with an additional 1,500 troops reportedly on standby.
