In a sharp rebuke of federal overreach, a federal judge officially quashed six federal grand jury subpoenas issued by the Department of Justice (DOJ) targeting Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and several top state and local Democrats. The decision by U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz marks a significant legal defeat for the Trump administration’s attempt to compel state cooperation with federal immigration initiatives. The sweeping legal battle stems from a series of high-level subpoenas served by the DOJ against the offices of Walz, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, as well as officials in Hennepin and Ramsey counties, earlier this year. In a scathing 29-page ruling quashing the subpoenas, Schiltz said, “nothing in this order or in the materials submitted to the Court could possibly compromise a criminal investigation; as the Court has explained at length, the Department is not conducting a criminal investigation, but is instead using the grand jury process for other (unlawful) purposes.”
“The Department takes the unlawful obstruction of federal law enforcement operations extremely seriously and will continue to act in full compliance with the law to investigate these matters,” a DOJ spokesperson told Newsweek in response to the ruling.
Immigration Enforcement in Minnesota: What To Know
The federal demands sought a full year of internal communications, including text messages, emails, and policy documents related to state and local immigration enforcement practices.
The DOJ’s aggressive legal maneuvers came directly after Minnesota leadership filed a lawsuit to block Operation Metro Surge, the controversial federal immigration operation deployed to the region in December 2025, which saw widespread protests from locals and the deaths of two U.S. citizens: Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti.
Walz, Frey, and others largely pushed back against the federal government’s attempts to get them to cooperate on immigration enforcement, stating it was not their job to arrest suspected illegal immigrants, as this was U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Border Patrol’s role.
What the Judge Said
In a definitive opinion, Schiltz, appointed in 2006 by former Republican President George W. Bush, determined that the executive branch had weaponized the grand jury process for political leverage rather than a legitimate criminal inquiry.
He ruled that the “dominant purpose” of the investigative demands was to coerce, harass, and retaliate against Minnesota officials for resisting federal immigration enforcement priorities. By finding no valid investigatory justification for the records request, Schiltz declared the DOJ’s tactics “blatantly unlawful” and an abuse of federal power.
The ruling strictly limits the federal government’s authority to use the grand jury system to circumvent state-level protections or penalize local jurisdictions operating under non-cooperation policies.
While the Justice Department argued that the information was vital to a federal probe, the court emphasized that the timing and scope of the actions exposed a clear retaliatory intent aimed at bypassing ongoing federal-state litigation.
Walz, Frey Respond
In a statement shared on X Monday afternoon, Walz said the ruling was a victory for democracy.
“I am proud to have joined Minnesotans in exercising our fundamental American freedoms – of speech, assembly, to disagree with our government. These rights are enshrined in our Constitution. And, they are what makes America great,” Walz wrote. “An independent judiciary is a pillar of our democracy. It’s one reason why the U.S. has been that shining city on the hill for nearly 250 years.
“The U.S. Justice Department is pursuing criminal investigations into the President’s political opponents. This case was just one example of that, but we are seeing daily reminders of this administration’s lawlessness – in Minnesota and around the country. We all must continue to seek justice and uphold the rule of law.”
Frey, who spoke out against ICE’s presence in his city multiple times, also took to social media to say the DOJ’s investigation was not about justice, but about the absence of it.
“My job is not to stay silent when Minneapolis residents are killed, families are torn apart, and businesses are closed. My job is to stand up for the people I represent, the families who call our city home, and the thousands of people who showed up and spoke out.,” Frey said.
“Criticism of government action is not a crime. One of the defining strengths of our democracy is the ability to challenge those in power without fear of retribution. Elected officials have both the right and the responsibility to speak honestly about how government decisions affect the people they serve.”
