MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The U.S. Department of Justice opened a criminal investigation Friday into Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey over allegations they conspired to impede U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) amid protests after an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Good, 37, a U.S. citizen, Jan. 7. The DOJ probe Minnesota focuses on whether their public statements and local actions encouraged interference with federal officers, and both men say the inquiry is meant to chill criticism of the Trump administration, Jan. 17, 2026.
A person familiar with the matter told Reuters that subpoenas were being prepared for Walz and Frey, though it was not immediately clear whether any had been served. Reuters reported CBS News first disclosed the existence of the investigation.
The Associated Press reported the inquiry centers on whether the two leaders impeded immigration enforcement through public statements as the Department of Homeland Security carries out a crackdown it says has resulted in more than 2,500 arrests in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.
Walz said federal investigators were “weaponizing the justice system,” while Frey called the probe an attempt to intimidate him for “standing up for Minneapolis.” Attorney General Pam Bondi posted: “A reminder to all those in Minnesota: No one is above the law.”
The DOJ probe Minnesota is separate from the FBI-led investigation into the shooting itself. Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said it cannot conduct a full state use-of-force investigation without access to key evidence and interviews, according to a Minnesota Department of Public Safety statement.
U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez also issued an injunction restricting immigration agents in the Twin Cities from arresting or using crowd-control munitions against peaceful protesters and observers without reasonable suspicion of a crime or interference with enforcement activity, Reuters reported.
DOJ probe Minnesota: What investigators are looking at
In the DOJ probe Minnesota, investigators are examining whether Walz, Frey or others used their offices to encourage people to impede federal operations — and whether any coordination with local agencies, public messaging or other actions meet the legal threshold for conspiracy or obstruction.
Neither official has been charged. A federal investigation does not necessarily lead to prosecution, but subpoenas and other compulsory requests can expand quickly as investigators seek records, communications and testimony.
A dispute years in the making
The DOJ probe Minnesota follows months of conflict over how much Minnesota governments should assist immigration enforcement. In September, the Justice Department sued Minnesota and local governments over what it called unlawful sanctuary policies, Reuters reported.
Minneapolis recently strengthened its separation ordinance limiting cooperation with federal immigration agencies, MPR News reported, and Hennepin County in 2014 said it would stop holding inmates for immigration officials without a court order, MPR News reported in 2014.
For now, the immediate question in the DOJ probe Minnesota is whether federal prosecutors can point to actions beyond rhetoric — and whether the investigation further inflames a city still reeling from Good’s death and days of tense street demonstrations.
