Federal judge blocks Trump DOJ subpoenas targeting Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as unlawful retaliation

Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz has blocked Trump administration grand jury subpoenas targeting Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and local mayors. The judge ruled the subpoenas were a "blatantly unlawful" attempt to retaliate against officials and coerce them into assisting with a federal immigration crackdown. The clash escalated after federal agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, in January 2026, sparking widespread protests.

Federal judge blocks DOJ subpoenas

• ▪U.S. District Chief Judge Patrick Schiltz unsealed an order on June 22, 2026, quashing multiple Department of Justice grand jury subpoenas targeting Minnesota officials
• ▪The quashed subpoenas targeted Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, and the board of commissioners of Hennepin and Ramsey counties

Trump-Minnesota immigration enforcement clash

• ▪Federal agents fatally shot two American citizens, Renee Good on January 7, 2026, and Alex Pretti on January 24, 2026, during the immigration enforcement surge in Minneapolis
• ▪The Department of Justice issued the subpoenas in January 2026 during a federal immigration enforcement crackdown in Minnesota known as Operation Metro Surge
• ▪The Department of Justice subpoenas demanded records dating to the start of 2025 regarding state and local cooperation and guidance concerning federal immigration enforcement

Judge's findings on unlawful retaliation

• ▪Judge Patrick Schiltz ruled that the dominant purpose of the subpoenas was to coerce Minnesota officials into assisting with civil immigration enforcement and to retaliate against them
• ▪Judge Patrick Schiltz noted that the U.S. Constitution and the 10th Amendment bar the federal government from forcing states or their political subdivisions to enforce federal laws
• ▪Judge Patrick Schiltz found that the connections between the information sought in the subpoenas and any possible criminal violation were extremely weak to nonexistent

Minnesota officials' responses

• ▪Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called the ruling a victory for the rule of law and democracy, stating that the Justice Department is pursuing criminal investigations into political opponents
• ▪Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison stated that Donald Trump is weaponizing the criminal justice system against political adversaries
• ▪Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey stated that subpoenaing political opponents for speaking on behalf of constituents violates the core tenets of democracy and human decency

Broader DOJ politicization pattern

• ▪Judges and grand juries have recently dismissed indictments or refused to return indictments sought by the Justice Department against prominent Trump critics, including former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James
• ▪Judge Patrick Schiltz linked the subpoenas to a history of the Trump administration using criminal investigations to pressure adversaries, citing a March 2026 ruling blocking subpoenas against Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell