A federal judge rejected subpoenas issued by the Department of Justice against Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and several local officials, concluding they amounted to an unlawful attempt to pressure political opponents. The subpoenas demanded documents related to immigration enforcement efforts but were deemed a misuse of grand jury powers to coerce state cooperation with federal immigration policies.
U.S. District Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz emphasized that the subpoenas formed part of a broader strategy under the Trump administration to compel Minnesota officials to assist federal immigration enforcement efforts, despite the state and local authorities’ refusal to comply. This tactic, the judge noted, followed a pattern of politically motivated criminal investigations initiated to retaliate against those opposing the administration.
The subpoenas targeted records from the offices of Governor Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and the county boards of commissioners in Hennepin and Ramsey counties. Schiltz highlighted the excessive scope of these subpoenas, describing them as “extraordinarily broad” and infringing upon constitutionally protected activities. He pointed to the absence of any credible investigatory basis from the Department of Homeland Security to justify the subpoenas, reinforcing the view that their true intent was coercive rather than evidentiary.
The subpoenas arose amid Operation Metro Surge, a Trump administration initiative deploying thousands of immigration agents across major cities in Minnesota. The operation sparked turmoil and leadership changes within Homeland Security, while Minnesota officials resisted federal enforcement actions. Schiltz concluded that initiating criminal investigations for the purpose of harassment or political coercion is not only unlawful but unethical, explicitly condemning the use of grand jury processes as political tools.