DOJ subpoenas Tim Walz and prime Minnesota officers accused of obstructing Trump surge
The Department of Justice has issued grand jury subpoenas to at least five top Democratic officials in Minnesota who are accused of obstructing a surge of federal law enforcement officers supporting Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign.
Federal investigators are targeting Governor Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Mayor Kaohly Her of St. Paul, among others, marking a dramatic escalation of the Trump administration’s clash with Democratic officials who have criticized operations as a violent assault on the state and its residents.
The subpoenas also target top Minnesota prosecutors including state Attorney General Keith Ellison and Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty.
The Justice Department appears to be investigating whether state and local officials conspired to impede federal officers from immigration enforcement.
Homeland Security has deployed hundreds of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection officers into the state, making more than 10,000 arrests in recent weeks, according to the agency. The surge is Homeland Security’s largest immigration enforcement operation yet, with officers accused of violently targeting immigrants and citizens alike and facing off against protesters in clashes throughout the Minneapolis area.
The president has repeatedly suggested he could deploy active-duty military against Americans after demonstrations against his agenda escalated in the wake of the killing of Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer earlier this month. The president has labeled protesters “professional agitators and insurrectionists” in a state run by “corrupt politicians” who are now accused of conspiring against the federal government.
Minnesota officials, meanwhile, have sued the administration to stop the surge, alleging the operation is a politically motivated and unconstitutional attack on the state.
Tuesday’s subpoenas command officials to testify before a federal grand jury and provide extensive documents to prosecutors, including all records and communications regarding immigration enforcement and instructions about cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
This is a developing story
Source: independent.co.uk
