The U.S. Department of Justice has launched an investigation into whether Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have obstructed federal immigration enforcement through their public statements. This information comes from two anonymous sources familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press.
Scope of the Federal Probe
The investigation is reportedly examining a potential violation of a federal conspiracy statute. The sources revealed the information on condition of anonymity, as they were not authorized to publicly discuss the pending investigation. CBS News was the first to report on the probe.
In a sharp response, Governor Walz issued a statement framing the investigation as a political weapon. “Two days ago it was Elissa Slotkin. Last week it was Jerome Powell. Before that, Mark Kelly,” Walz said. “Weaponizing the justice system and threatening political opponents is a dangerous, authoritarian tactic.” His office confirmed it has not received any formal notice of an investigation.
Mayor Frey was equally defiant. “This is an obvious attempt to intimidate me for standing up for Minneapolis, our local law enforcement, and our residents against the chaos and danger this Administration has brought to our streets,” he stated. “I will not be intimidated. My focus will remain where it’s always been: keeping our city safe.”
Backdrop of a Major Enforcement Operation
The investigation unfolds against the backdrop of a weeks-long, large-scale immigration crackdown in Minneapolis and St. Paul. The Department of Homeland Security has described it as its largest enforcement operation to date, resulting in more than 2,500 arrests.
The operation grew more tense following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good on January 7, 2026. According to newly released 911 transcripts and dispatch logs, a caller reported Good was shot “point blank range in her car” after she refused to open her door. Video shows an ICE officer, identified as Jonathan Ross, firing at close range as Good’s vehicle began to move. DHS claims the agent acted in self-defense.
State authorities have since urged protesters to remain peaceful. “While peaceful expression is protected, any actions that harm people, destroy property or jeopardize public safety will not be tolerated,” warned Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson.
President Donald Trump commented on the unrest, stepping back slightly from a prior threat. “I don’t think there’s any reason right now to use it, but if I needed it, I’d use it,” he told reporters regarding the potential invocation of the 1807 Insurrection Act to deploy troops.
Individual Cases and Community Impact
The crackdown's human impact is illustrated by the case of Garrison Gibson, a 37-year-old Liberian man. After a dramatic, video-recorded arrest where agents used a battering ram, Gibson was released by a federal judge who ruled his arrest unlawful. He was detained again during a routine check-in, only to be released hours later. His attorney, Marc Prokosch, stated that an ICE official admitted “they bleeped up.” Gibson had remained in the U.S. legally under an order of supervision.
Community fear is widespread. Tribal leaders are now advising Native Americans to carry tribal ID due to reports of stops by ICE. In St. Paul, Hmong American Mayor Kaohly Her said residents are carrying passports and reported agents going “door to door asking where the Asian people live.” Application booths for tribal IDs have been set up in Minneapolis.
Further escalating tensions, FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed an arrest related to the theft of body armor and weapons from a vandalized FBI vehicle in Minneapolis. Attorney General Pam Bondi detailed the theft, which occurred during unrest as agents responded to a shooting.
Minnesota’s Attorney General has vowed to sue the Trump administration if the President follows through on threats to invoke the Insurrection Act against what he called “professional agitators and insurrectionists.”
