Investigators have claimed he and the Minneapolis mayor obstructed the work of federal law enforcement officers
The U.S. Department of Justice has initiated a criminal investigation into Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. As part of the probe, a federal grand jury has issued subpoenas to both.
Several media outlets reported on Friday, citing sources with knowledge of the case, that they and other officials are alleged to have conspired to block federal immigration agents deployed to the state as part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration.
Since early last week, the Trump administration has sent nearly 3,000 federal agents to Minnesota, sparking angry protests in Minneapolis over the surge in immigration enforcement in the state’s largest city. After returning to the White House in January 2025, the president launched a sweeping campaign against illegal immigration, vowing the largest deportation effort in U.S. history.
Tensions have escalated since an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fatally shot local lesbian Renee Good in Minneapolis last week, triggering daily protests that have spread beyond the state. Both Walz and Frey have sharply criticized the federal presence, with the mayor publicly telling agents to “get the f**k out of Minneapolis.”
Walz, who was Kamala Harris’s running mate in the 2024 presidential election (which they lost to Trump), accused the federal government in a recent statement of “weaponizing the justice system and threatening political opponents”, calling it a “dangerous, authoritarian tactic.”
“The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her,” he added.
In a separate response to the probe, Frey said it was an obvious attempt to intimidate him for “standing up for Minneapolis, our local law enforcement, and our residents against the chaos and danger this administration has brought to our streets.”
This week, the state of Minnesota—along with the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul—sued the Trump administration, arguing the immigration operation amounts to a “federal invasion” and accusing federal authorities of violating the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (which establishes states’ rights).
About 1,000 additional U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents were expected to deploy to Minneapolis this week, bringing the federal presence to around 3,000. Democrats have condemned the ICE raids as an abuse of power and scapegoating of migrants.