Judge Blocks Trump Subpoenas of Walz as Unconstitutional

A federal judge has blocked an attempt by the Trump administration to subpoena Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and other state officials, ruling that the subpoenas were unconstitutional and intended to retaliate against them for not cooperating with federal immigration enforcement efforts. According to multiple reports, U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz found that the “dominant purpose” of 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.”

The subpoenas, issued in January, sought records from Walz's office, as well as those of Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, and officials in Ramsey and Hennepin counties. The judge ruled that the connections between the information sought and any possible criminal violation were “extremely weak to nonexistent,” according to Los Angeles Times. Schiltz noted that Minnesota has the legal right not to devote its resources to enforcing federal immigration law.

The ruling is part of a broader pattern of rebuke by the federal judiciary against Justice Department efforts to implement the Trump administration's agenda in courts and target political adversaries. Tensions between the Trump administration and Minnesota’s Democratic leaders escalated earlier this year as federal immigration officers clashed with protesters, following the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by ICE agents.

Walz called the ruling “a victory for the rule of law and our democracy,” stating that the U.S. Justice Department is pursuing criminal investigations into political opponents. Ellison echoed this sentiment, saying it should disturb every American that Trump is weaponizing the criminal justice system against people he disagrees with.

The subpoenas were issued as part of a broader investigation targeting 15 Minnesota activists who opposed the administration’s mass deportation raids, according to Al Jazeera. The Trump administration cited a directive to “counter domestic terrorism and organised political violence.” State officials decried the raids as a power grab and an effort to intimidate cities seen as centers of resistance to the administration. Walz, who served as the vice presidential candidate for Kamala Harris in the 2024 US presidential election, welcomed the ruling.

Meanwhile, other legal battles related to immigration enforcement continue in Minnesota. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty has sued the administration for access to evidence in the Good and Pretti killings and pursued criminal charges against ICE officers in two other incidents.

CBS News reports that Governor Walz's office filed 16 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests with federal agencies. These requests seek records, communications, and writings referencing terms such as “Minnesota,” “Walz,” “reckoning,” “retribution,” “punish,” and “Democrat” dating back to the day President Donald Trump took office in 2025. Walz stated that these FOIA requests aim to uncover how federal agencies have coordinated actions targeting Minnesota and who directed those efforts.