Judge voids Walz, Frey subpoenas, says Trump DOJ ‘harassed’ political opponents

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: A Republican-appointed federal judge blocked sweeping Justice Department subpoenas targeting Minnesota leaders and said prosecutors failed to identify a single plausible justification for them.

The ruling handed Democratic officials a legal victory and put fresh scrutiny on how immigration investigations were used during the Trump administration's crackdown in Minnesota. It also underscored a constitutional dispute over whether Washington can pressure states to assist federal immigration enforcement.

Bush-appointed judge questions DOJ rationale

Chief Judge Patrick J Schiltz, who was appointed by Republican former President George W Bush, unsealed an order Monday quashing subpoenas issued to Gov Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and other twin cities officials.

The Justice Department had accused officials of obstructing immigration enforcement during Operation Metro Surge.

According to the order, prosecutors demanded documents dating back to January 1, 2025, from six offices concerning federal immigration enforcement.

Schiltz wrote that evidence showing the subpoenas were issued for unlawful reasons was "overwhelming."

"On the one hand, the evidence that the challenged subpoenas were issued for unlawful reasons is overwhelming," he wrote. "On the other hand, the Department has struggled — without success — to identify a single plausible investigatory justification for the subpoenas."

He said the Trump administration had been "threatening and attempting to punish states and localities that have adopted 'sanctuary' policies."

Schiltz also wrote that using investigations "to harass political opponents or to coerce them into taking official action" amounted to "a blatantly unlawful and unethical use" of the grand jury process.

Judge cites 10th Amendment protections

The court said the subpoenas violated the 10th Amendment, which protects states' authority over matters not delegated to the federal government.

Schiltz said the "dominant purpose" behind the subpoenas was "to coerce Minnesota officials into assisting the federal government with enforcing civil immigration law and to harass and retaliate against them for failing to do so."

He noted that despite launching what he described as a broad investigation into nearly an entire state's political structure, the department failed to point to "a single such instance" in which county employees actually obstructed law enforcement.

The order said DOJ cited four examples to justify its investigation, including local ordinances, statements by city council members and county guidance involving interactions with ICE agents. The department did not subpoena Minneapolis city council members.

Walz, Ellison accuse Trump administration

A Justice Department spokesperson defended the investigations, saying, "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."

Walz called the ruling "a victory for the rule of law and our democracy" and said an independent judiciary remained "a pillar of our democracy."

"The US justice department is pursuing criminal investigations into the president's political opponents," Walz said.

Ellison, who sued over Operation Metro Surge in January, said, "The facts are clear: the Trump administration is targeting me because I'm standing up for the people of Minnesota."

Frey also welcomed the ruling, saying, "No one should be targeted for questioning those in power. No community should be expected to accept harmful policies without objection. And no administration should use the tools of law enforcement to silence dissent."