Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.Image: keystone
June 23, 2026, 12:41 a.mJune 23, 2026, 12:41 a.m
A federal judge has halted a U.S. government investigation into Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and other Democratic officials for allegedly obstructing immigration authorities. Judge Patrick Schiltz said in a ruling published on Monday (local time) that the subpoenas were issued for unconstitutional reasons.
Walz is considered a prominent Trump opponent. His state became the scene of protests earlier this year against Trump’s harsh migration policies and controversial raids against migrants.
In January, the US Department of Justice sent subpoenas to Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and other authorities and municipalities. The agency said at the time that it was investigating possible obstruction of immigration enforcement.
Richter sees political motives
Schiltz declared the subpoenas legally invalid. The “predominant purpose” was to coerce Minnesota officials into assisting the federal government in enforcing immigration law and to “harass” and retaliate against them for failing to do so.
The judge also referred to the Constitution, which in the United States sets limits on the federal government if it wants to oblige states to implement federal law. The evidence that the subpoenas were issued for improper reasons was “overwhelming,” Schiltz wrote. At the same time, the Ministry of Justice was unable to provide any plausible justification for the investigation.
The conflict was triggered by a large-scale immigration operation in Minnesota at the end of 2025 and beginning of 2026. According to court information, more than 3,000 federal officials were deployed at times. Walz, Ellison and other Democratic politicians sharply criticized the approach. Walz described the operation as a “campaign of organized brutality” and announced that Minnesota would have federal officials investigate the alleged attacks themselves.
The state and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul filed a lawsuit against the measures in January. Shortly afterwards, Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that the “day of reckoning and retribution” would come.
After the decision was published, Ellison spoke of a rare and clear step by the court. Walz described the decision as a victory for the rule of law and democracy. (sda/dpa)