Overview
- The U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota nullified six grand‑jury subpoenas in an order unsealed on Monday, June 22, saying the Justice Department used the grand jury to harass and coerce state and local officials.
- Judge Patrick Schiltz wrote the subpoenas showed “extremely weak to nonexistent” ties to any crime and that their dominant purpose was to force cooperation with Operation Metro Surge, a large federal immigration enforcement effort in the Twin Cities.
- The subpoenas, served in January to the offices of Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and Hennepin and Ramsey county boards, sought broad records dating back to Jan. 1, 2025.
- Targeted officials hailed the ruling as a vindication of constitutional speech and anti‑commandeering rights, and the judge unusually ordered unsealing of grand‑jury materials while staying that relief to allow the Justice Department to seek further review.
- The decision is a major judicial rebuke of the DOJ’s tactics and is likely to prompt an appeal or other procedural moves by the department, a development that could affect how federal prosecutors use grand juries in politically charged probes.