MINNEAPOLIS — A federal judge has halted the Trump administration’s effort to subpoena Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and other state and local officials as part of an immigration enforcement investigation, ruling that the Justice Department improperly used its investigative authority in a probe tied to the administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration.
In a ruling unsealed on Monday, U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz blocked subpoenas that sought records from Walz, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and officials in Ramsey and Hennepin counties. The subpoenas were issued in January during an investigation into whether state and local leaders obstructed or impeded law enforcement activities during a large federal immigration operation in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.
Schiltz concluded that the “dominant purpose” of the subpoenas was to “coerce Minnesota officials into assisting the federal government with enforcing civil immigration law and to harass and retaliate against them for failing to do so,” according to the court ruling. He wrote that there appeared to be “extremely weak to nonexistent” links between the information sought and any potential criminal violations.
The judge further stated that many of the requested materials involved constitutionally protected conduct and noted that states are not required to use their resources to enforce federal immigration laws. He found that the Justice Department had failed to identify a plausible investigative justification for the demands.
The investigation emerged amid heightened tensions between federal immigration authorities and Minnesota officials. State and local leaders had criticized federal immigration raids conducted earlier this year and opposed efforts to expand cooperation with immigration enforcement agencies. Federal officials argued the investigation was intended to determine whether any laws had been violated during the operation. Details of the administration’s legal arguments remain limited in publicly available court filings.
Walz welcomed the ruling, calling it “a victory for the rule of law and our democracy.” Ellison said the decision should concern Americans who believe the criminal justice system should operate independently of politics. Minneapolis and St. Paul officials likewise described the subpoenas as politically motivated.
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the ruling, according to court coverage and media reports.
The decision represents the latest judicial setback for the administration’s immigration-related legal efforts. As of Tuesday, the subpoenas remained blocked, and no appeal had been publicly announced. The broader dispute over cooperation between federal immigration authorities and state and local governments remains ongoing.
