Minnesota Democrats Face Federal Probe Over Alleged Plot to Block Immigration Agents

Minnesota’s top Democratic leaders are now under federal scrutiny after the Justice Department launched an investigation into Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey over allegations they conspired to obstruct federal immigration agents.

The probe reportedly stems from public statements made by Walz and Frey regarding the thousands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and Border Patrol agents deployed to the Minneapolis region in recent weeks. Nearly 3,000 federal immigration agents have been dispatched to Minneapolis, with federal officials stating the objective is to arrest individuals suspected of being in the U.S. illegally and investigate allegations of fraud in Minnesota.

The Department of Homeland Security has described this deployment as the largest operation in its history. The large-scale presence of federal agents has sparked significant backlash in the Twin Cities, with protests and clashes escalating following the killing of Minnesota resident Renee Good by an ICE officer last week.

Walz and Frey, both Democrats, have criticized the federal deployment, accusing agents of creating chaos and undermining public safety through aggressive tactics. Earlier this week, Frey described the federal operation as creating a situation that was “not sustainable,” adding that residents are asking the limited number of local police officers to confront ICE agents in the streets. He also stated that the country cannot be in a place where two governmental entities are literally fighting one another.

Walz and Frey have urged protesters to remain peaceful, with Walz posting on social media earlier this week urging Minnesotans not to “fan the flames of chaos.” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche appeared to allude to the matter in a recent post, writing: “Walz and Frey—I’m focused on stopping YOU from your terrorism by whatever means necessary.” Blanche added, “This is not a threat. It’s a promise.”

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that Frey and Walz need to get their city under control, accusing the two Democrats of encouraging assaults on federal law enforcement — felonies. Noem has argued that their rhetoric helped perpetuate violence directed at federal officers by undermining trust in law enforcement and emboldening protesters.

The inquiry is focused on 18 U.S.C. § 372, a federal statute that makes it a crime for two or more people to conspire to prevent federal officers from carrying out their official duties through force, intimidation, or threats. This statute has historically been used in cases involving coordinated efforts to obstruct federal officials through violence or threats. Public criticism of federal policy is generally treated as protected speech unless it crosses into direct coordination or incitement to obstruct law enforcement.