Justice department Investigates Minnesota Officials for alleged Obstruction of Immigration enforcement
The Justice Department is investigating Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, among other state officials, for potentially conspiring to obstruct federal immigration agents, according to a senior law enforcement official and a source with knowledge of the inquiry.
Details of the Investigation
The investigation centers around a rarely invoked federal statute originating from the Civil War era, 18 U.S. Code § 242, which prohibits conspiracy to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate another person in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the united States. This law was highlighted in a January 2024 memo from then-Attorney General Pam Bondi, directing federal prosecutors to consider it when targeting individuals she labeled as “domestic terrorists.”
Reported timeline and Context
CBS News first reported the investigation on January 12, 2024. Governor walz released a statement on January 14, 2024, addressing the reports, stating, “Two days ago it was Elissa Slotkin raising concerns about political interference, and today it’s this.”
