Minnesota Federal Judges Probe Operation Metro Surge Motives and Evidence Handling After ICE Killings
Federal prosecutors have opened an 18 U.S.C. §372 investigation into whether Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, AG Keith Ellison and other Minnesota officials conspired to impede Operation Metro Surge—an approximately 3,000‑agent ICE/Border Patrol deployment—and have served grand‑jury subpoenas on multiple state and local offices as protests escalated after the ICE‑related killing of Renee Good. At the same time, federal judges in Minnesota have imposed limits on how federal officers may police demonstrations and ordered preservation of evidence amid contested DOJ/DHS handling of the Good and Alex Pretti shootings, developments that have prompted accusations of evidence obstruction and politicization of the justice system.
📌 Key Facts
- The Justice Department has opened a criminal inquiry examining whether public statements and actions by Minnesota officials violated the federal conspiracy statute (18 U.S.C. § 372) by impeding federal immigration enforcement; grand‑jury subpoenas have been served to multiple offices, including Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, AG Keith Ellison, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and Hennepin and Ramsey county officials, and Frey was ordered to appear Feb. 3.
- The subpoenas — led by U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen’s office — seek records and communications about cooperation or a 'refusal to come to the aid of immigration officials'; the probe is in its early stages and has not produced criminal charges to date.
- Operation Metro Surge involved roughly 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol agents in the Twin Cities (Border Patrol officials have claimed more than 10,000 arrests in the past year and about 3,000 arrests in recent weeks); the deployment has prompted near‑daily protests and confrontations after the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Good and a later fatal shooting of ICU nurse Alex Pretti during demonstrations.
- Federal prosecutors initially opened, then declined to continue, civil‑rights ('color of law') investigations into the agent involved in the Renee Good shooting and into the Alex Pretti death; DHS components (a CBP office and ICE Homeland Security Investigations) have been assigned to run internal probes instead.
- State investigators say they were denied access to key evidence: an FBI document indicates most evidence except firearms and shell casings was turned over to DHS, Minnesota filings allege Pretti’s legally carried handgun was moved before state exam, and Judge Eric Tostrud issued a temporary restraining order barring destruction or alteration of Pretti‑case evidence.
- U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez ordered the Trump administration and DHS to explain the motives and legal purpose of Operation Metro Surge — responding to Minnesota’s claim the surge was intended to 'punish,' 'coerce' and 'compel' the state — and another federal ruling limited how federal officers may police peaceful, non‑obstructing protesters.
- The developments have become highly politicized: Minnesota leaders (Walz, Frey, Ellison) call the investigation and subpoenas 'weaponization' and intimidation, while DOJ and White House officials (including Deputy AG Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, Pam Bondi and VP JD Vance) defend enforcement, tie local rhetoric to violence and have staged high‑profile visits and briefings.
- Legal and factual disputes persist: First Amendment and constitutional scholars question whether protected criticism can constitute obstruction under modern precedent; immigrant advocates warn there is no independent way to verify government arrest tallies or criminal classifications; the subpoenas and grand‑jury process have intensified constitutional, evidentiary and federal‑supremacy tensions surrounding the operation.
📰 Source Timeline (45)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
January 27, 2026
9:58 PM
Minnesota lawsuits hold broad implications for Trump’s anti-immigration agenda
New information:
- Judge Katherine Menendez ordered the Trump administration and DHS to formally explain by Wednesday evening the motives and legal purpose of Operation Metro Surge, explicitly requiring a response to Minnesota’s claim that the surge is designed to 'punish,' 'coerce' and 'compel' the state over its sanctuary policies.
- Judge Eric Tostrud issued a temporary restraining order barring U.S. officials from destroying or altering evidence related to the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti and heard arguments on whether that order should be continued, narrowed or lifted.
- Minnesota Deputy Solicitor General Peter Farrell filed a declaration flagging DHS’s rapid labeling of Alex Pretti as a 'domestic terrorist' and pointing to an official DHS X post showing Pretti’s legally carried handgun placed on a car seat — indicating evidence had been moved before state BCA investigators could examine the scene.
- The article confirms that Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was denied access not only in the Pretti case but also in last month’s killing of Renee Good, reinforcing claims that federal authorities are blocking standard state-led use-of-force investigations.
6:41 PM
Biden speaks out against immigration crackdown in Minnesota, says it goes against American values
New information:
- Joe Biden issued a written statement on X saying the Trump administration’s Minnesota immigration crackdown 'betrays our most basic values as Americans.'
- Biden explicitly framed the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good as U.S. citizens being 'gunned down' and 'brutalized' while exercising constitutional rights, and accused the administration of trampling the Fourth Amendment.
- He called for 'full, fair, and transparent' investigations into both deaths and urged Americans to 'stand up and speak out' against federal conduct in Minnesota, offering condolences to the families and communities.
- The piece notes Kamala Harris has also called the Renee Good shooting 'shocking' and characterized the administration’s explanation as 'pure gaslighting.'
6:40 PM
House Freedom Caucus draws line on DHS, ICE funding as Minneapolis unrest fuels shutdown risk
New information:
- House Freedom Caucus Board sent a letter to President Trump urging him to ensure DHS is "funded fully" and to reject any move to strip DHS/ICE funding from the broader appropriations package.
- The Freedom Caucus explicitly warns that the House package "will not come back" through the House without DHS funding and calls for Trump to "use all tools necessary," including possibly invoking the Insurrection Act, to quell Minneapolis unrest.
- Fox reports that conservatives are also urging Trump to explore alternative mechanisms to fund other agencies (War, DOT, FEMA, etc.) if Democrats insist on removing DHS and triggering a shutdown.
6:22 PM
No civil rights violation probe into latest MN shooting, sources tell MS NOW
New information:
- Justice Department has decided there will be no federal civil-rights investigation into the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti.
- DHS is assigning its own components to run the probes: a Customs and Border Protection office will investigate whether its officers followed policy, and ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations will investigate possible crimes by Pretti.
- An FBI document reflects that Border Patrol asked FBI to help gather evidence but that all evidence except firearms and shell casings was turned over to DHS, and Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says federal agents are not sharing information or giving it access to evidence.
- Current and former DOJ/FBI officials quoted say DOJ’s handling of both the Pretti and Renee Good shootings violates long‑standing Justice Department policy and creates the appearance of a cover‑up, especially given apparent mishandling of Pretti’s firearm as evidence.
5:53 PM
WATCH LIVE: Senate considers Pregnant Students' Rights Act
New information:
- Senate is convening at 3 p.m. EST to consider the Pregnant Students' Rights Act while DHS funding negotiations are effectively being held hostage over immigration enforcement after the Alex Pretti shooting.
- Democrats are now explicitly refusing additional DHS money for 'military‑style' immigration operations unless new restraints on ICE and Border Patrol are included, with Sen. Chris Van Hollen calling the operation 'lawless' and vowing 'not another dime.'
- Sen. Susan Collins, the Republican Appropriations chair, acknowledged the Pretti killing has refocused attention on the Homeland Security bill but urged colleagues to stick to the existing deal to avoid a shutdown.
- The White House has shifted strategy by sending border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis to replace Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino in leading the operation, a move Senate GOP leader John Thune publicly praised as a way to 'turn down the temperature.'
- The DHS bill is embedded in a six‑bill appropriations package covering Defense, Health and other departments that together fund more than 70% of federal operations, raising the stakes of the standoff.
2:59 PM
WATCH LIVE: Trump gives speech on energy and the economy as Minnesota shooting fallout continues
New information:
- Specifies that Trump will visit a local business and then deliver an affordability speech at the Horizon Events Center in Clive, a Des Moines suburb.
- Clarifies that White House chief of staff Susie Wiles is framing the Iowa stop as part of an energy-policy push as well as an affordability tour.
- Notes that the White House now says Trump will wait for an investigation to conclude before commenting on the shooting of Alex Pretti, even as unnamed top officials have already moved to malign Pretti.
- Details Iowa Rep. Zach Nunn’s statement tying Trump’s visit to his own affordable housing bill and energy priorities, and repositioning the trip as a sales job for the recently passed tax-and-spending package.
10:00 AM
Trump's immigration crackdown in the spotlight ahead of midterms as fatal MN shootings ignite backlash
New information:
- Frames the Renee Good and Alex Pretti killings explicitly as protests against federal immigration operations and notes they occurred 'as they protested federal agents.'
- Quotes Minnesota GOP strategist and former state Senate majority leader Amy Koch saying the ICE‑out movement imagery will 'definitely play against Republicans' and that four weeks ago she expected GOP statewide gains but now has 'a lot of questions.'
- Reports that the massive ICE/Border Patrol deployment has 'deflated coverage' of Minnesota’s social‑services fraud scandal that had been politically damaging to Democrats and had prompted Gov. Tim Walz to drop his re‑election bid.
- Cites a New York Times/Siena poll (Jan. 12–17) showing nearly two‑thirds of respondents disapprove of ICE’s performance and 61% say ICE tactics have gone too far, with University of Minnesota professor Larry Jacobs saying Trump’s immigration approval is 'down and going down further.'
- Highlights that illegal immigration and inflation were key to GOP wins in 2024 but that support for ICE and Trump’s handling of immigration has deteriorated even before the second shooting.
10:00 AM
Trump heads to Iowa hoping to refocus attention from shootings to the economy
New information:
- Trump is traveling to Iowa on Tuesday to tour a local business and deliver a speech on energy and the economy as part of what his chief of staff Susie Wiles says will become weekly travel to boost GOP midterm candidates.
- Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma publicly questioned Trump’s broader immigration 'endgame,' warned against politicizing the crackdown and said Americans do not want a goal of deporting 'every single non‑U.S. citizen.'
- Senior Republicans including Rep. Michael McCaul and Sens. Thom Tillis and Bill Cassidy are now specifically pressing for more information about the second Minneapolis shooting that killed ICU nurse Alex Pretti.
- Trump had what he described as a 'very good' call with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and claimed they were on a 'similar wavelength,' but his press secretary immediately resumed attacks on Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, blaming their 'deliberate and hostile resistance' for the tragedies and demanding they turn over 'criminal illegal aliens' in local jails.
- Veteran GOP strategist Ryan Williams is quoted saying the central story now is not just the ICE‑related shooting itself but 'the response to the ICE‑related shooting,' predicting Trump will be forced to keep talking about it despite his economic message.
10:00 AM
Trump to hold de facto midterm kickoff in Iowa focused on the economy, energy prices
New information:
- NPR specifies Tuesday’s rally is in Clive, Iowa, and is explicitly billed inside the White House as the preview of Trump’s 2026 midterm message.
- The focus of the speech is described as energy and the economy, with emphasis on how Trump’s first‑year policies have negatively impacted Iowa through tariffs and higher energy costs.
- The article details how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is now hitting voters’ tax returns (no tax on tips/overtime, expanded child tax credit) and previews a Treasury summit to roll out $1,000‑seeded 'Trump Accounts' for babies born 2025–28.
- It adds new political context: farming groups are angry that year‑round E15 wasn’t in the recent House spending bill, and recent polling shows Trump’s economic approval at 36% and his Iowa approval among the lowest of any GOP‑run state.
- The story notes that three of Iowa’s four House seats could be competitive in 2026 and that Democrat Rob Sand is significantly outraising GOP rivals in the governor’s race, heightening the stakes of Trump’s visit.
8:53 AM
Trump's about-face in Minnesota after Pretti's death is latest in pattern of sudden shifts
New information:
- Trump publicly described Gov. Tim Walz as now on a “similar wavelength” after a call and said Walz was “happy” Homan was going to Minnesota.
- A person familiar with operations said senior Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino and some agents were expected to leave Minneapolis as early as Tuesday.
- Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey confirmed some agents would depart after speaking directly with Trump and said the president seemed to recognize the current operations were unsustainable.
- Minnesota GOP gubernatorial candidate Chris Madel abruptly ended his campaign and left the party, calling the immigration operation an “unmitigated disaster.”
- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, normally a strong Trump ally on immigration, said the White House needs to “recalibrate” what it is doing in Minnesota; Vermont Gov. Phil Scott also raised concerns (article cuts off but indicates additional GOP unease).
- The piece situates this about-face in a broader pattern of Trump taking maximalist positions and then retreating, citing his wavering on Iran military strikes and threatened Europe tariffs tied to Greenland.
January 26, 2026
9:33 PM
Amid lawsuits and protests, Trump sends border czar to Minnesota
New information:
- Trump, after calls with Gov. Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey, is sending border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to lead federal immigration enforcement efforts in the state.
- Gov. Walz says Trump agreed to consider reducing the number of federal immigration agents in the Twin Cities and that Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino will be leaving Minnesota.
- Minnesota sought an immediate temporary restraining order to scale Operation Metro Surge back to pre‑surge staffing levels, but U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez declined to grant the TRO and ordered additional filings from the Trump administration by Wednesday.
- Minnesota’s lawsuit is explicitly citing Trump’s 'RECKONING & RETRIBUTION' social‑media post and a letter from Attorney General Pam Bondi that offers to end the surge in exchange for voter registration records and an end to sanctuary policies; DOJ lawyers told the judge the letter merely reflected the impact of sanctuary rules.
January 23, 2026
10:00 AM
How Minnesota became the center of a political crisis
New information:
- NPR reports Vice President JD Vance traveled to Minneapolis on Thursday and publicly argued that 'the problem is unique to Minneapolis,' blaming a lack of cooperation between state/local law enforcement and federal agents for the unrest.
- The article details that, in the days before the Renee Macklin Good shooting, the Trump administration had paused federal funds for Minnesota day‑care centers and publicly tied that move to unsubstantiated social‑media claims about Somali‑run organizations stealing 'millions' in public funds.
- It notes White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s Fox comments that DOJ and DHS would investigate alleged Minnesota fraud on the ground and that Trump 'is not going to let Governor Walz off the hook,' while Walz calls the move part of 'Trump's long game' politicizing real fraud issues.
January 21, 2026
10:32 PM
Todd Blanche warns Americans 'should be worried' about Minnesota protests after church disruption
New information:
- Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told Fox News that Americans 'should be worried' about escalating Minnesota protests and that demonstrations like the St. Paul church disruption are 'being encouraged by local officials.'
- Blanche said DOJ had warned Minnesota leaders for the past two weeks that the administration 'would not tolerate' what they were doing and has now escalated via grand jury subpoenas.
- He accused Gov. Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey of failing to react 'in horror' to the church storming and instead offering only what he called feigned calls for peaceful protest.
- Gov. Walz publicly responded on X framing the subpoenas as part of a broader pattern of 'weaponizing the justice system' against Trump critics and reiterating that 'the only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her.'
9:31 PM
Mayor Frey shares highly produced video speaking on Latino radio station: 'You're brave and you're tough'
New information:
- Jacob Frey released a professionally produced video interview with Spanish-language station La Raza in which he sharply criticizes ICE and vows to "stand strong" with Latino immigrants.
- In the video, Frey explicitly reassures listeners that the Minneapolis Police Department 'does not do immigration enforcement work' and urges Latino residents that they can safely call 911.
- Frey publicly accuses federal immigration agents of 'spreading fear and hurting families' and asserts that ICE’s actions are causing 'real harm' in Minneapolis neighborhoods, positioning himself as a sanctuary-style protector.
- The video and social posts were released less than a day after news that federal prosecutors had opened a probe into whether Frey and other Minnesota officials impeded ICE operations.
9:15 PM
Klobuchar blasts DOJ for targeting Dems instead of ICE agent who shot Renee Good
New information:
- Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has confirmed DOJ will not pursue a civil-rights ('color of law') investigation into ICE agent Jonathan Ross after previously launching one.
- Reporting from The Washington Post, cited in the piece, says DOJ initially opened a civil-rights probe into Ross in the immediate aftermath of the shooting before reversing course.
- Sen. Amy Klobuchar publicly calls DOJ’s reversal 'concerning' and 'highly irregular,' arguing that in similar shootings such probes are normally carried through.
7:21 PM
Vance's Minnesota trip to show "unwavering support" for ICE
New information:
- Vance’s Minnesota itinerary now includes a roundtable with community leaders, an exclusive Newsmax interview, and a news conference where he will be flanked by ICE agents.
- The White House says Vance will use the trip to attack Minneapolis' sanctuary policies as degrading public safety, praise ICE for removing 'dangerous, criminal illegal aliens,' and highlight a new DOJ assistant attorney general role focused on prosecuting large‑scale fraud and abuse of taxpayer‑funded programs.
- Trump advisers admit internally they want to shift public focus away from unpopular ICE raids and the Renee Good killing and toward Minnesota’s 'industrial‑scale' fraud scandals, particularly involving Somali‑linked schemes.
- The article reports DOJ has blocked local police from investigating the ICE agent who shot Renee Good but is instead investigating her widow, a decision that helped trigger the church‑storming protest and resignations of six federal prosecutors who had been handling Minnesota fraud cases.
- Axios details that Vance has "taken Minnesota on as an issue" since Jan. 8, when he used a White House podium the day after Good’s killing to defend the shooting as justified, call for Walz’s resignation, and announce a Somalian fraud task force—context that deepens his personal political investment in the state.
3:39 PM
Vice President JD Vance to visit Minneapolis, source says, amid unrest over ICE operations
New information:
- Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to visit Minnesota on Thursday, with events in Minneapolis.
- Vance will deliver formal remarks and hold a roundtable with local leaders and community members in Minneapolis, according to a source.
- Gov. Tim Walz has publicly invited President Trump to visit Minnesota to help "restore calm and order" amid unrest.
- The article restates Vance’s earlier public comments framing the Renee Nicole Good shooting as self-defense and describing her as "brainwashed" and linked to a "broader, left-wing network."
- Vance will also stop at an industrial shipping facility in Toledo, Ohio, to give a separate speech on the administration’s efforts to lower prices.
12:53 PM
Minnesota Democrats criticize DOJ subpoenas, claim weaponization of justice system
New information:
- Keith Ellison publicly labels the probe 'Trump’s campaign of retaliation and revenge' and says he received a subpoena for records on his office’s work related to federal immigration enforcement.
- Gov. Tim Walz issues a statement calling the investigation a 'partisan distraction' that 'does not seek justice' and says Minnesota 'will not be drawn into political theater.'
- Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey posts that the subpoenas show the federal government 'weaponizes its power to intimidate local leaders for doing their jobs,' warning that 'every American should be concerned.'
- The White House, via spokeswoman Abigail Jackson, responds by mocking Walz and highlighting his past comments calling ICE 'Gestapo' and saying Minnesota is 'at war against the federal government.'
12:11 PM
What to expect from Trump's Davos speech. And, the DOJ subpoenas Minnesota officials
New information:
- NPR emphasizes that Minnesota officials publicly describe the subpoenas as intimidation and 'weaponization' of DOJ by the Trump administration, saying they are not fazed.
- The piece highlights concrete on‑the‑ground effects of Operation Metro Surge: dozens of Minnesota doctors report patients are now avoiding needed medical care because they fear encounters with ICE.
- Officials cited by NPR say they pushed back against the crackdown because they view certain ICE tactics in Minnesota—such as agents intimidating people who follow them to alert neighbors—as illegal actions.
9:49 AM
Morning news brief
New information:
- The subpoenas to Minnesota officials are prominent enough to be one of three top national items in NPR’s Jan. 21 Morning Edition brief, alongside Trump’s Davos address and a Supreme Court Fed‑control case.
- NPR characterizes the Minnesota matter specifically as part of an alleged 'obstruction probe' linked to ICE operations, signaling how national media are framing the legal theory.
7:01 AM
Legal battles over immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota intensify
New information:
- Confirms that federal prosecutors served grand jury subpoenas Tuesday on the offices of Gov. Tim Walz, AG Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, and officials in Hennepin and Ramsey counties.
- Specifies that the subpoenas seek records related to whether Minnesota officials obstructed or impeded federal immigration enforcement, including documents 'tending to show a refusal to come to the aid of immigration officials.'
- Notes that DOJ’s brief in the state’s separate injunction case labels Minnesota’s lawsuit 'legally frivolous' and that Ellison argues the surge violates free‑speech and other constitutional rights.
- Reports that Vice President JD Vance is expected to travel to Minneapolis Thursday for a roundtable with local leaders and community members about the situation.
- Updates Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino’s arrest figures: more than 10,000 people in the U.S. illegally arrested in Minnesota over the past year, including 3,000 'of some of the most dangerous offenders' in the last six weeks of Operation Metro Surge.
- Highlights advocates’ concern, via Julia Decker, that there is no independent way to verify the government’s characterization of who is being arrested.
- Reiterates disputed facts around the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Good, noting video showing her vehicle slowly turning away from ICE officer Jonathan Ross despite DHS claims of self‑defense.
3:20 AM
FBI Director Patel warns elected officials 'no one' is exempt from federal scrutiny amid Minnesota probe
New information:
- FBI Director Kash Patel, in a Hannity interview, publicly warned that 'no one – elected official, private citizen or otherwise – gets to impede and obstruct a law enforcement investigation.'
- Patel tied the Minnesota subpoenas directly to what he described as President Trump’s 'mandate to enforce the law' and said the president has 'supplied law enforcement the resources they need' in Minnesota and elsewhere.
- He outlined the basic investigative path: subpoenas to acquire records, followed by putting witnesses into the grand jury and making a presentment with DOJ.
- The segment reiterates that roughly 3,000 federal immigration officers were deployed to the Twin Cities, contrasting that with about 600 Minneapolis police officers.
- Fox frames Walz, Frey and Ellison as having 'strongly opposed' the operations, noting Walz’s comment that Minnesota was at 'war against the federal government.'
1:18 AM
Bondi vows accountability after church attack, says Minnesota ‘a mess right now’
New information:
- Pam Bondi has now traveled to Minneapolis, met with FBI, DEA, ATF and U.S. Attorney Rosen, and framed the state as 'a mess right now' with 'constant' chaos as part of DOJ’s response.
- She would not confirm or deny that the subpoenas to Gov. Tim Walz, Mayor Jacob Frey and AG Keith Ellison are tied to a formal investigation, but repeated that 'no one is above the law' and 'people will be held accountable.'
- Bondi explicitly linked 'rhetoric' from officials to real‑world injuries, saying inflammatory language has helped create conditions where people are getting hurt and officers feel unsafe.
- She associated the expanded DOJ presence not only with Operation Metro Surge and alleged obstruction, but also with the Jan. 18 church disruption and broader unrest around immigration enforcement.
1:08 AM
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have been subpoenaed by the DOJ
New information:
- Confirms that Frey’s subpoena orders him to appear in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis on February 3.
- Includes on‑camera comments from ICE leader Marcos Charles defending agents as 'everyday people doing a very hard job' and accusing Minnesota politicians of dehumanizing them.
- Adds President Trump’s White House‑briefing remarks on the Renee Good shooting in which he frames any ICE misconduct as 'mistakes' in dealing with 'rough people' while calling the killing a 'tragedy.'
- Quotes Ellison saying DOJ is demanding records on his office’s work regarding federal immigration enforcement and explicitly tying the subpoenas to his separate lawsuit against Trump over ICE tactics.
12:54 AM
WATCH: Border Patrol and ICE leaders defend tactics used in Minneapolis operations
New information:
- Border Patrol senior official Greg Bovino claimed at a Minneapolis press conference that more than 10,000 'criminal illegal aliens' have been apprehended in the city over the past year and that 3,000 arrests of 'some of the most dangerous offenders' occurred in the last six weeks of the current surge.
- Bovino publicly defended ICE and Border Patrol tactics such as warrantless door breaches and vehicle extractions as 'born of necessity,' 'well-grounded in law,' and insisted that 'everything we do is legal, ethical and moral.'
- Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota policy director Julia Decker said advocates have no way to verify whether the government’s arrest tallies and descriptions of those in custody are accurate.
- The subpoenas to Gov. Walz, AG Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Frey, St. Paul Mayor Her and county officials explicitly seek 'any records tending to show a refusal to come to the aid of immigration officials,' sharpening the obstruction/conspiracy theory.
- The piece reiterates DOJ’s position that Minnesota’s civil suit challenging the operation, filed after ICE officer Jonathan Ross killed Renee Good on Jan. 7, is 'legally frivolous,' while noting videos show Good’s vehicle slowly turning away from Ross when he fired.
12:41 AM
Tim Walz, Jacob Frey and more Minnesota officials subpoenaed by DOJ
New information:
- CBS specifies that DOJ has served subpoenas on the offices of Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, confirming the action and naming it as tied to a probe into an alleged conspiracy to impede federal immigration officers.
- The piece attributes the information to three sources familiar with the matter and frames it as a DOJ action, not merely planned or threatened.
January 20, 2026
11:50 PM
News Wrap: Federal prosecutors subpoena Minnesota officials
New information:
- PBS reiterates that federal prosecutors have issued subpoenas to multiple Minnesota officials as part of an ongoing investigation during a broader immigration crackdown.
- It confirms the timing as part of Tuesday’s news developments but does not add names or scope beyond what is already known from prior reporting.
10:21 PM
DOJ subpoenas Minnesota Gov. Walz and other officials in obstruction investigation
New information:
- Confirms six grand jury subpoenas were served Tuesday to the offices of Gov. Tim Walz, AG Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and officials in Ramsey and Hennepin counties.
- Details that Frey’s subpoena demands records about 'cooperation or lack of cooperation' with federal authorities and any records 'tending to show a refusal to come to the aid of immigration officials,' with a grand jury date of Feb. 3.
- Quotes Kaohly Her publicly acknowledging a subpoena and saying she is 'unfazed by these tactics,' and reiterates Walz and Frey’s characterization of the probe as bullying meant to stifle opposition.
- Adds on‑record skepticism from University of Minnesota constitutional law professor Ilan Wurman, who says Minnesota’s legal arguments to halt the ICE/DHS surge are unlikely to succeed given federal supremacy in immigration enforcement.
9:17 PM
DOJ subpoenas top Minnesota Democrats in federal probe amid ICE crackdown
New information:
- MS NOW source confirms DOJ has issued a subpoena to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s office; Walz and Ellison’s offices also confirm receipt of grand jury subpoenas.
- The New York Times and MS NOW report that St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty have also been subpoenaed, expanding the known scope beyond Walz, Frey and Ellison.
- Ellison clarifies in a statement that the subpoena seeks documents related to his office’s work on federal immigration enforcement, not his personal conduct.
- Gov. Walz issues a new statement vowing not to be “intimidated into silence,” calling the probe a “partisan distraction” sparked by calls for accountability over the killing of Renee Good.
- Sen. Dick Durbin, ranking member of Senate Judiciary, publicly accuses Trump of using DOJ as a 'shield for his cronies and a sword to attack his opponents' and says Trump is targeting communities that didn’t vote for him, like Chicago and Minneapolis.
9:08 PM
Minnesota Gov Walz invites Trump to visit state to 'see our values in action' after ICE feud
New information:
- Walz issued a public statement on X inviting President Trump to visit Minnesota to 'see our values in action' and 'restore calm and order.'
- The Fox piece confirms that grand jury subpoenas were served Tuesday on Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota AG Keith Ellison, tying them explicitly to alleged conspiracy to hinder ICE operations.
- Walz characterizes the DOJ investigation into the Renee Good shooting and alleged ICE‑impediment conspiracy as a 'partisan distraction' and reiterates that Minnesotans are focused on safety amid children afraid to go to school and small businesses hurting during raids.
7:10 PM
DOJ subpoenas Walz, Frey, others in probe alleging immigration obstruction
New information:
- Confirms that on Tuesday the Justice Department served grand‑jury subpoenas on Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.
- Clarifies that the investigation is explicitly framed as probing whether state and local officials 'conspired to impede federal officers from discharging their duties' under the same federal conspiracy statute used against some Jan. 6 rioters.
- Quantifies the Minnesota deployment as roughly 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol agents — about five times the 600‑officer Minneapolis Police Department — and notes nearly daily protests and confrontations since the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Good.
- Adds on‑record skepticism from former federal prosecutor Gene Rossi, who argues that issuing grand‑jury subpoenas based on critical speech and policy disagreements risks 'criminalizing the policy of a president' and lacks evidence of obstructive action.
6:26 PM
DOJ serves grand jury subpoenas to Minnesota Dems in investigation of ICE obstruction: sources
New information:
- Fox’s sources say the FBI served grand jury subpoenas on Tuesday to five Minnesota government offices, including the Governor’s Office, the Attorney General’s Office and the Minneapolis Mayor’s Office.
- The subpoenas seek records and communications related to the alleged conspiracy to coerce or obstruct federal law enforcement during ICE operations in Minnesota.
- This is the first concrete description of compulsory process (grand jury subpoenas) reaching those specific executive offices, beyond the earlier reporting that a § 372 conspiracy investigation had been opened.
January 19, 2026
1:57 PM
Why the DOJ is investigating Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey
New information:
- CBS reports, citing unnamed U.S. officials, that the Justice Department has formally launched an investigation into Gov. Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey and frames the piece around explaining why DOJ is probing them.
- The segment underscores that the focus is Walz and Frey’s public criticism and alleged efforts to impede ICE and DHS during the large Minnesota immigration surge and the fallout from the Renee Good shooting, connecting that conduct explicitly to the federal conspiracy statute DOJ is examining.
2:49 AM
ICE says 2 demonstrators were arrested in Minnesota for allegedly assaulting officers
New information:
- ICE specifically reports two additional protest‑related arrests at the Whipple Building for alleged assault on federal officers and refusal to stay out of traffic.
- ICE uses social media to label the arrestees 'agitators' and to broadcast a deterrent message about consequences for assaulting federal law enforcement.
January 18, 2026
5:24 PM
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey says federal agents are an "occupying force"
New information:
- Frey confirms on national television that he has not received any formal documentation from DOJ about the reported criminal investigation into him and Gov. Tim Walz for conspiracy to impede immigration agents.
- He characterizes the prospect of such a probe as 'deeply concerning' and suggests it would amount to targeting officials 'simply for speaking for their respective constituencies and disagreeing with this federal administration.'
- Frey explicitly compares this kind of potential DOJ action to what 'happens in other countries,' implicitly raising the specter of authoritarian practices.
- He reiterates that local authorities are 'doing the work to keep people safe' and positions federal raids and troop standby as unnecessary and harmful to public safety.
3:32 PM
Trump accuses Tim Walz and Ilhan Omar of using ICE protests to distract from massive state fraud
New information:
- President Trump publicly accuses Gov. Tim Walz and Rep. Ilhan Omar of using Minnesota ICE protests to distract from what he calls an '18 Billion Dollar, Plus, FRAUD' scandal in the state.
- Trump characterizes Minneapolis/St. Paul ICE operations as targeting 'some of the most violent criminals in the World' and labels some protesters 'highly paid professional agitators and anarchists.'
- U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche tells Fox News that anti‑ICE rhetoric by Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey — including encouraging residents to call 911 on ICE officers — is 'very close to a federal crime.'
- Attorney General Pam Bondi posts on X, 'A reminder to all those in Minnesota: No one is above the law,' reinforcing the Justice Department’s hard‑line posture.
- Walz, Frey and Omar publicly push back, with Walz calling the widening investigations 'weaponizing the justice system' and Frey saying he 'will not be intimidated.'
January 17, 2026
4:51 PM
Justice Department probes whether Minnesota leaders impeded immigration enforcement
New information:
- Confirms via AP sourcing that DOJ is examining whether Walz and Frey violated a federal conspiracy statute through public statements, and that CBS first reported the probe.
- Places the probe explicitly in the context of DHS’s "largest recent" immigration operation in Minneapolis–St. Paul, with more than 2,500 arrests and increasingly confrontational tactics since the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Good.
- Reports President Trump has partially walked back his threat to invoke the Insurrection Act, saying he doesn’t see a need "right now" but would use it if he deemed it necessary.
- Details a new federal court ruling in Minnesota barring federal officers from detaining or using tear gas against peaceful, non‑obstructing protesters who are observing the operation.
3:46 PM
Justice Department investigates top Minnesota Democrats amid ICE protests
New information:
- Confirms, via two people familiar with the matter, that the Justice Department has formally opened an investigation into Gov. Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey focused on alleged obstruction of federal immigration enforcement amid post‑shooting protests.
- Specifies that U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen’s office is leading the probe and that neither Walz nor Frey has yet been subpoenaed.
- Reports that Rosen’s office declined to open a use‑of‑force investigation into the ICE killing of Renee Nicole Good and instead reportedly launched an inquiry into Good’s widow, prompting a wave of resignations.
- Frames the investigation as part of a broader Trump‑era DOJ pattern targeting officials who have investigated, criticized or opposed him, listing past or current focuses on James Comey, Letitia James, Jerome Powell, Lisa Cook, Adam Schiff, Elissa Slotkin and Jason Crow.
- Adds fresh, on‑the‑record reactions from Walz and Frey condemning the probe as intimidation and 'weaponizing the justice system,' and includes a new accusatory statement from White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson blaming Minnesota Democrats for 'incit[ing] violence' against ICE.
4:28 AM
Minnesota safety officials ask protesters in the state to stay peaceful
New information:
- Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobsen and Maj. Gen. Shawn Manke publicly urged protesters to remain peaceful and detailed that National Guard units are mobilized but on standby, not yet deployed on the streets.
- The article adds on‑the‑record expert analysis from First Amendment scholar David Schultz, who says the DOJ investigation of Walz and Frey is unlikely to "hold much water" because their public criticism of ICE is protected speech, and there is no modern precedent treating such criticism as obstruction.
- It reiterates that a Minnesota federal judge has ordered limits on how federal law‑enforcement can police the protests, a key legal check running in parallel to the DOJ investigation.
- The piece notes that more than two dozen House Democrats held an unofficial field hearing in St. Paul on ICE and federal agents’ conduct, underscoring organized congressional opposition.
2:22 AM
Justice Department opens investigation into Minnesota governor and Minneapolis mayor
New information:
- NPR confirms via a U.S. official that the Justice Department is investigating Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, without yet specifying charges.
- Adds on‑the‑record public reaction from Frey, who calls the probe "an obvious attempt to intimidate" him for opposing the administration’s actions in Minneapolis.
- Adds a new public statement from Walz explicitly framing this as part of a pattern with investigations into Elissa Slotkin, Jerome Powell and Mark Kelly, and saying the only person not being investigated over the Renee Good shooting is the ICE agent who fired.
- Re‑anchors the investigation’s political context directly to last week’s ICE killing of Renee Macklin Good and Minnesota Democrats’ criticism of ICE’s presence.
1:47 AM
Trump Administration Begins Criminal Inquiry Into Minnesota Leaders
New information:
- A senior law enforcement official tells The New York Times the Trump administration has opened a criminal investigation into Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey over alleged conspiracy to impede thousands of federal agents deployed to Minneapolis.
- The official says no subpoenas have yet been issued but could be in the coming days, underscoring the early stage of the probe.
- Walz and Frey issued detailed, combative public statements Friday night, explicitly calling the investigation a weaponization of law enforcement and an 'obvious attempt to intimidate,' and stressing that the only person not being investigated is the federal agent who shot Renee Good.
1:13 AM
Justice Department investigates Minnesota Gov. Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Frey
New information:
- AP confirms, citing two anonymous sources, that DOJ is investigating whether Gov. Walz and Mayor Frey violated a federal conspiracy statute by impeding immigration enforcement through public statements.
- Walz issues an on‑record statement comparing the probe to investigations of Elissa Slotkin, Jerome Powell and Mark Kelly and calling it weaponization of the justice system.
- Frey issues an on‑record statement calling the investigation an 'obvious attempt to intimidate' him for 'standing up for Minneapolis' and says he will not be intimidated.
- Minnesota’s public safety commissioner warns that weekend protests over the immigration sweep must remain peaceful and that actions harming people or property 'will not be tolerated.'
- The piece adds detail on Garrison Gibson’s case: Judge Jeffrey Bryan ruled his batter‑ram arrest unlawful; ICE re‑detained him at a check‑in and then quickly released him again, with his lawyer quoting an ICE official saying they 'bleeped up.'
1:06 AM
DOJ investigating Walz, Frey over alleged conspiracy to impede immigration agents
New information:
- CBS explicitly reports the investigation is centered on 18 U.S.C. § 372, the federal conspiracy statute covering efforts to prevent federal officers from performing their duties through 'force, intimidation or threats.'
- The story ties the probe directly to specific recent public statements by Walz and Frey criticizing the deployment of roughly 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol agents to Minneapolis, including Frey’s comment that residents are asking scarce MPD officers 'to fight ICE agents on the street.'
- Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is quoted accusing Walz and Frey of 'encouraging impeding and assault against our law enforcement which is a federal crime, a felony.'
- Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche posted on X, 'Walz and Frey- I'm focused on stopping YOU from your terrorism by whatever means necessary. This is not a threat. It's a promise,' language that helps explain why critics see the probe as politicized.
- Walz publicly compares the investigation to recent DOJ actions against Elissa Slotkin, Jerome Powell and Mark Kelly, calling it weaponization of the justice system and noting that 'the only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her.'
- The article reiterates DHS’s description of the Minneapolis deployment as the largest operation in its history and underscores that protests and clashes escalated after ICE officer’s killing of Renee Good.