The Department of Justice (DOJ) has commenced a criminal investigation involving prominent Minnesota officials, notably Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis. The investigation surrounds accusations that these officials engaged in a conspiracy intent on obstructing immigration officers in the region.
According to an internal source cited by a news agency, subpoenas have been drafted targeting both Walz and Frey. However, it remains uncertain whether these legal documents have been formally served. The Justice Department has not provided a comment in response to inquiries about this investigation.
The scrutiny intensifies against Walz and Frey following their public remarks concerning the large-scale deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and Border Patrol personnel into Minneapolis and its environs. This deployment, mandated by then-President Donald Trump, introduced thousands of federal officers to the area, aiming to address local disturbances.
Governor Walz, who is also the Democratic candidate for the vice presidency in the 2024 U.S. election, has characterized the federal probe as an effort to intimidate political opposition to former President Trump. He expressed his views on the social media platform X, highlighting a pattern wherein notable figures such as Senators Elissa Slotkin and Mark Kelly, along with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, have also faced pressures he attributes to politically motivated uses of the justice system. Walz described these maneuvers as "authoritarian tactics."
Similarly, Mayor Jacob Frey responded to media reports of the investigation with strong criticism. Frey labeled the inquiry as "an obvious attempt to intimidate me for standing up for Minneapolis, local law enforcement and residents against the chaos and danger this Administration has brought to our city." His statement underscores the perceived politicization of federal efforts against local leadership.
In a separate communication on Truth Social, former President Trump accused "troublemakers, agitators, and insurrectionists" of fuelling disorder in Minnesota. He censured state and municipal leaders for allegedly failing to maintain control amid these challenges.
Adding to the federal stance, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a public reminder on X, asserting, "A reminder to all those in Minnesota, no one is above the law." This message emphasizes the Department of Justice’s position on enforcement and legal accountability for all officials and citizens alike.
The investigation occurs against a backdrop of significant unrest in Minneapolis, where approximately 3,000 federal agents have been deployed into the state since the previous week. This sizeable federal presence reflects escalating tensions and the government's response to maintain order.
Governor Walz currently faces added scrutiny unrelated to the immigration probe. Recently, he announced he would not pursue a third term as governor, a decision influenced by a welfare-fraud scandal that has cast a shadow over his administration. Walz cited the inability to dedicate adequate effort to a political campaign under these circumstances as a reason for stepping aside.
These developments collectively highlight the complex intersection of federal and local authority amid political contests and public safety concerns within Minnesota. The investigation's ramifications for the involved officials and the local populace are yet unfolding.