Overview
- Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz quashed six grand‑jury subpoenas on Monday, ruling the Justice Department used the process to harass and retaliate against Gov. Tim Walz and other Minnesota leaders.
- The subpoenas were served in January during the federal immigration operation in the Twin Cities and sought broad records from the governor, the attorney general, the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul, and county officials.
- Schiltz wrote that the materials sought had only weak or nonexistent ties to any criminal offense and largely related to constitutionally protected conduct, saying the dominant purpose was to coerce state cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
- The court ordered limited disclosure of some grand‑jury materials but stayed that step to give the Justice Department time to seek appeal and the DOJ said it will continue reviewing alleged obstruction and consider further legal options.
- The ruling spotlights a larger federal‑state clash over anti‑commandeering limits and feeds debate over whether the Justice Department has used investigative tools against political opponents, a dynamic that could shape future federal probes and state responses.