The DOJ is reportedly investigating Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey over alleged efforts to impede ICE operations after the deployment of nearly 3,000 federal agents. Prosecutors are examining whether public comments crossed into illegal coordination under 18 U.S.C. § 372, which targets conspiracies to obstruct federal officers. The deployments sparked protests and clashes following the killing of Renee Nicole Goodby, and the DOJ declined to comment.
DOJ Opens Probe Into Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey Over Alleged Effort To Impede Federal Agents
The Department of Justice has reportedly opened an investigation into Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) over allegations that the two conspired to impede Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations through public statements and coordination, multiple sources told CBS News.
Federal prosecutors are reviewing comments the officials made after the deployment of nearly 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol agents to the Minneapolis region. The probe is said to focus on 18 U.S.C. § 372, a rarely invoked federal statute that criminalizes conspiracies to obstruct or impede federal officers by force, intimidation, or threats.
Legal context: CBS News noted that ordinary public criticism of federal policy is typically protected by the First Amendment. Prosecutors would need to show evidence of coordination or incitement intended to physically block or intimidate federal personnel to pursue charges under the statute.
Nearly 3,000 agents were deployed in recent weeks to carry out arrests of people suspected of being in the country unlawfully and to investigate alleged fraud in Minnesota. The operation has prompted local protests and clashes with demonstrators following the killing last week of Minnesota resident Renee Nicole Goodby, an incident that involved an ICE agent and has heightened tensions.
Both Governor Walz and Mayor Frey have publicly criticized the federal deployment, saying it has exacerbated instability rather than improved public safety, while also urging demonstrators to remain peaceful. Their statements are now under review to determine whether they crossed the legal threshold from protected speech to coordinated obstruction.
The reported inquiry follows a post on X by South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, who accused Walz and Frey of "encouraging impeding and assault against our law enforcement which is a federal crime, a felony." A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment to CBS News for the report.
Note: The investigation is reported by CBS News and, as of this writing, the DOJ has not publicly confirmed the inquiry. The distinction between robust criticism and illegal coordination will be central if charges are ever pursued.
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