Key facts
- A U.S. judge has quashed subpoenas issued by the Trump administration to Minnesota officials.
- The investigation aimed to determine if opposition to federal immigration enforcement constituted a crime.
- Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey were among those targeted.
- The probe was based on a federal statute concerning conspiracy to obstruct federal officers.
- The judge's order also limited federal law enforcement tactics in Minneapolis, including the use of pepper spray and arrests of peaceful protesters.
A U.S. judge has quashed the Trump administration's attempt to compel information from several Minnesota officials, including the state's Democratic governor, as part of an investigation into whether their opposition to immigration enforcement amounted to a crime. The court order was made public on Monday.
The investigation, led by the U.S. Justice Department, had targeted officials including Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. It focused on whether their comments and actions regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) constituted a violation of a federal statute, 18 U.S.C. § 372, which criminalizes conspiring to prevent federal officers from performing their duties through force, intimidation, or threats.
In a related development, U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez issued an 83-page order limiting the tactics federal authorities could employ in Minneapolis. This order specifically blocked the use of pepper spray and the arrest of peaceful protesters by federal officers deployed for immigration operations. The judge also ruled that following a vehicle without reasonable suspicion does not justify a stop.
Governor Walz had previously criticized the investigation, calling the "weaponizing the justice system against your opponents is an authoritarian tactic," while Mayor Frey stated, "I will not be intimidated." The probe intensified following the death of Renee Good, who was shot and killed by an ICE agent.