{"id":2939,"date":"2026-06-22T21:33:50","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T21:33:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southfloridamovingguides.com\/?p=2939"},"modified":"2026-06-22T21:33:50","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T21:33:50","slug":"federal-judge-halts-trump-administration-effort-to-subpoena-walz-in-immigration-enforcement-probe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southfloridamovingguides.com\/?p=2939","title":{"rendered":"Federal judge halts Trump administration effort to subpoena Walz in immigration enforcement probe"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

A federal judge has blocked an attempt by the Trump administration to subpoena Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and other state officials, accusing the Justice Department of using its investigatory powers to retaliate against state officials for not cooperating with federal efforts to crack down on illegal immigration.<\/p>\n

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In a ruling unsealed Monday, U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz found the \u201cdominant purpose\u201d of the subpoenas was to \u201ccoerce Minnesota officials into assisting the federal government with enforcing civil immigration law and to harass and retaliate against them for failing to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tensions between the Trump administration and Minnesota\u2019s Democratic leaders escalated in January as federal immigration officers clashed with protesters in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, especially after officers\u2019 fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.<\/p>\n

President Donald Trump even threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to quell protests and accused Walz, who was Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris\u2019 running mate in 2024, and others of encouraging protesters to disrupt Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity.<\/p>\n

Judge finds \u2018weak to nonexistent\u2019 reasons for subpoenas<\/p>\n

The subpoenas seeking records were served in January as part of an investigation into whether Walz and other officials obstructed or impeded law enforcement actions. They were sent to the offices of Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and officials in Ramsey and Hennepin counties.<\/p>\n

The ruling is the latest rebuke by the federal judiciary of Justice Department efforts to aggressively implement the Trump administration agenda in courts and target the president\u2019s political adversaries through subpoenas and similar demands.<\/p>\n

The judge ruled that there appeared to be \u201cextremely weak to nonexistent\u201d connections between the information sought in the subpoenas and any possible criminal violation. The subpoenas seek materials \u201cthat largely if not entirely relate to constitutionally protected conduct,\u201d the judge wrote, noting that Minnesota has the legal right not to devote its resources to enforcing federal immigration law.<\/p>\n

The Justice Department \u201cis not conducting a criminal investigation,\u201d the judge wrote, \u201cbut is instead using the grand jury process for other (unlawful) purposes.\u201d<\/p>\n

The evidence that the subpoenas were issued for unlawful reasons is overwhelming, the judge said, arguing that the Justice Department \u201chas struggled \u2014 without success \u2014 to identify a single plausible investigatory justification\u201d for them.<\/p>\n

The Justice Department said in a statement that it \u201ctakes 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Targets hail the judge’s decision<\/p>\n

Walz, in a statement, called the ruling \u201ca victory for the rule of law and our democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe U.S. Justice Department is pursuing criminal investigations into the President\u2019s political opponents,\u201d said Walz, the 2024 Democratic nominee for vice president. \u201cThis case was just one example of that, but we are seeing daily reminders of this administration\u2019s lawlessness \u2014 in Minnesota and around the country. We all must continue to seek justice and uphold the rule of law.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ellison said \u201cit should disturb every American that Donald Trump is weaponizing the criminal justice system against people he disagrees with.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The subpoenas are \u201ca politically motivated retaliation against our city for lawfully standing up to ICE and fighting for our residents,\u201d Her said in a statement.<\/p>\n

Frey said the investigation was \u201cnever about justice, law, and order, but the absence of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSubpoenaing political opponents because they spoke on behalf of their constituents violates the core tenets of our democracy and human decency,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Frey also observed that criticizing government action is not a crime.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the defining strengths of our democracy is the ability to challenge those in power without fear of retribution. Elected officials have both the right and the responsibility to speak honestly about how government decisions affect the people they serve,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Subpoenas were among many federal actions against Minnesota officials<\/p>\n

Over the last year, judges have dismissed indictments against two prominent Trump foes, former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, and grand juries have repeatedly refused to return indictments sought by the Justice Department.<\/p>\n

The moves reflect mounting public concerns that the Justice Department, an institution meant to make investigative and prosecution decisions independent of the White House, is being politicized under the current Trump administration.<\/p>\n

Vice President JD Vance has separately called on the Justice Department to investigate Walz and Ellison over allegations they failed to stop widespread social services fraud, though the department has not said whether it will open an investigation. Walz and Ellison have described those allegations as politically motivated and defended their efforts to combat fraud in Minnesota.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, other legal battles related to the immigration surge continue. The federal government has suggested Minnesota prosecutors don\u2019t have jurisdiction to investigate federal officers.<\/p>\n

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty in March sued the administration for access to evidence in the Good and Pretti killings, accusing the administration of withholding evidence from state investigators. Moriarty also has pursued criminal charges against ICE officers in two other incidents, including the nonfatal shooting of a Venezuelan man, and suggests her office is investigating several other cases as well.<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

Associated Press writer Hannah Fingerhut in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this report.<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

This story has been corrected to show the federal judge’s name is Patrick Schiltz, not Schlitz.<\/p>\n

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A federal judge has blocked an attempt by the Trump administration to subpoena Minnesota Gov. 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