A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration's efforts to force Minnesota officials to hand over information for a federal probe into their opposition to federal immigration enforcement.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Monday welcomed the judge’s ruling on the Department of Justice's investigation, describing the probe as politically motivated and calling the decision a “victory for the rule of law and democracy.”
The DOJ launched the investigation in January 2026, exploring whether Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey conspired to impede or obstruct federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during a monthslong federal immigration surge.
A DOJ spokesperson told NTD that it will continue its efforts to probe those who impede immigration enforcement operations.
“The Department takes the unlawful obstruction of federal law enforcement operations extremely seriously and will continue to act in full compliance with the law to investigate these matters,” the spokesperson said in an emailed statement to NTD.
The DOJ’s probe stemmed from clashes between protesters and ICE in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, as well as public statements from Walz and Frey urging residents to film and track ICE activities. Tensions further escalated after two American citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were shot and killed by federal agents.
Schiltz in the June 17 order said he found that the DOJ’s subpoenas were “part of an unconstitutional effort to coerce Minnesota officials into assisting the federal government with enforcing civil immigration laws and to harass and retaliate against them for failing to do so.”
He also noted the Constitution allows Minnesota to decide whether to commit its resources to enforcing federal immigration law.
Walz said he will continue to seek justice and uphold the rule of law. Walz, who was Kamala Harris's running mate in the 2024 presidential election, notably announced earlier this year that he would not seek reelection, concluding that he cannot focus on winning reelection amid widespread allegations of fraud in his state.