Judge Quashes DOJ Subpoenas Against Minnesota Officials Citing Tenth Amendment
A federal judge blocked DOJ subpoenas issued to Minnesota officials over immigration records.
Why it matters: This ruling clarifies constitutional limits on federal pressure over state officials and impacts legal strategies in government investigations involving federal-state conflicts.
- On January 20, 2026, DOJ issued six grand jury subpoenas to Minnesota officials including Gov. Tim Walz and AG Keith Ellison.
- The subpoenas sought records related to federal immigration enforcement starting January 1, 2025.
- Judge Patrick Schiltz quashed the subpoenas June 17, 2026, citing lack of plausible investigative justification.
- The ruling condemns DOJ's effort to coerce Minnesota officials amid tensions after a protester's fatal shooting by an immigration officer.
On January 20, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice issued six grand jury subpoenas to Minnesota state officials including Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul. These subpoenas targeted records relating to federal immigration enforcement efforts dating back to January 1, 2025. This move came amid Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration crackdown deploying thousands of agents to Minnesota.
A federal judge, Patrick Schiltz, quashed the subpoenas on June 17, 2026, ruling that the DOJ failed to present any credible investigatory justification. Judge Schiltz emphasized the subpoenas were part of a broader campaign to coerce the Minnesota officials into assisting federal immigration enforcement. He wrote, "The Department has struggled — without success — to identify a single plausible investigatory justification for the subpoenas."
The subpoenas were issued against the backdrop of heightened tensions, notably following the fatal shooting of protester Renée Good by a federal immigration officer earlier that month in Minneapolis. The court's ruling was unsealed on June 22, 2026.
Governor Walz responded by reaffirming his commitment to defending state sovereignty, stating, "I will never stop exercising my constitutional rights to stand up for Minnesotans and the American freedoms we hold dear." This decision reinforces constitutional boundaries under the Tenth Amendment, limiting federal ability to compel state cooperation in enforcement matters.
By the numbers:
- 6 subpoenas — issued by DOJ to Minnesota officials on January 20, 2026
- January 1, 2025 — start date for immigration-related records sought by subpoenas
- June 17, 2026 — date subpoenas were quashed by Judge Schiltz