The U.S. justice department is investigating two prominent Minnesota officials over alleged attempts to impede federal immigration agents, in an escalation of the Trump's administration's clash with Democrats.
Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey are facing an inquiry over statements they have made about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), reports the BBC's US partner CBS.
It comes as fresh details emerged in the death of a Minneapolis woman shot last week by an ICE agent in the city, sparking nationwide protests.
Renee Good, 37, was found with at least three gunshot wounds and possibly a fourth to the head, according to official reports viewed by CBS.
Governor Walz responded on Friday to news of the inquiry against him by posting on X: Weaponizing the justice system against your opponents is an authoritarian tactic. The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her.
Walz urged Minnesotans to protest peacefully, though he has faced accusations from the Trump administration of inflammatory rhetoric for describing ICE as a modern-day Gestapo. Meanwhile, Frey has demanded that immigration agents leave Minneapolis.
Reports indicate that the Justice Department has issued subpoenas to both Walz and Frey. The inquiry focuses on a federal statute that criminalizes conspiracy to obstruct federal officers from carrying out their duties through intimidation or threats.
Protests continued in Minneapolis following the incident, with local officials calling for peace during the public holiday weekend.
An incident report detailed that Good was found with multiple gunshot wounds after ICE agents approached her vehicle. While ICE claims she endangered federal agents, local authorities assert she posed no threat as a legal observer.
In a bid to uphold public order and address growing unrest, President Trump weighed in by criticizing protesters and local leaders, while asserting he would not invoke the Insurrection Act to quell disturbances in Minnesota at this time.
Democratic lawmakers have rallied in condemnation of ICE's actions and called for reforms to immigration enforcement, underscoring the ongoing national debate over immigration policy and enforcement practices.
