Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey are under federal investigation over alleged conspiracy to impede federal immigration agents. According to sources familiar with the matter, the probe stems from their statements about thousands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and Border Patrol agents deployed to the Minneapolis region.
Public comments by both Walz and Frey fall under protected speech, but experts say it would be challenging for the federal government to argue that they encouraged obstruction of justice. "There's no case on record... that has taken mere criticism to be equivalent to obstruction of justice," said Professor David Schultz, a First Amendment law expert.
The investigation is expected to issue subpoenas, but Schultz believes it will be difficult for the probe to yield significant results. Meanwhile, families affected by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests are seeking support and guidance in case of potential ICE actions.
As protests are set to take place this weekend, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobsen emphasized the need for peaceful demonstrations. "We want to be there to be helpful... We want to be there to keep the peace," he said. The state agency is prepared to assist with counter-protests planned in downtown Minneapolis, where one protest and a counter-protest are scheduled to occur.
Public comments by both Walz and Frey fall under protected speech, but experts say it would be challenging for the federal government to argue that they encouraged obstruction of justice. "There's no case on record... that has taken mere criticism to be equivalent to obstruction of justice," said Professor David Schultz, a First Amendment law expert.
The investigation is expected to issue subpoenas, but Schultz believes it will be difficult for the probe to yield significant results. Meanwhile, families affected by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests are seeking support and guidance in case of potential ICE actions.
As protests are set to take place this weekend, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobsen emphasized the need for peaceful demonstrations. "We want to be there to be helpful... We want to be there to keep the peace," he said. The state agency is prepared to assist with counter-protests planned in downtown Minneapolis, where one protest and a counter-protest are scheduled to occur.
this investigation is getting more confusing by the minute 
what exactly are they investigating? was it just a case of some politicians being outspoken about immigration issues or did someone actually do something wrong 
i mean, public comments ain't exactly illegal right? 
is this getting outta hand or am i just being too chill 
. So like, these guys are under investigation for saying something negative about ICE agents and now the feds are like "you must be part of a conspiracy!" 
I mean, come on, it's just criticism! Can't we just have a debate without being accused of being obstructionists? And what's up with all these subpoenas? Like, they're trying to intimidate them or something 
. It's not like they meant any harm, they were just expressing their opinion 
. I feel so bad for the families who might get affected by this 
. Can't we just have a peaceful protest and express our opinions without being persecuted? 
... meanwhile, actual people are getting hurt 
... those families affected by ICE arrests deserve some love and support, not just a bunch of politicians trying to cover their tracks 
This whole thing feels like a slippery slope, you know? One minute it's public comments about ICE agents being deployed, the next they're under federal investigation for allegedly conspiring against them. I'm not saying they should've been more careful with their words, but come on, it's just criticism! 
Anyway, hope everyone can stay calm and peaceful this weekend... fingers crossed! 
. I hope everyone stays calm and peaceful during the protests this weekend 
.
anyway, i do hope everything gets resolved soon and peaceful protests can happen without any issues 
. The experts say it's gonna be hard for the feds to build a case against them because they weren't actually trying to stop the agents from doing their job, just kinda venting about the whole situation 
. But at the same time, I agree with the commissioner on having peaceful demos – we don't want anything to escalate into chaos 
. I mean, isn't protected speech still protected speech? 
At least the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner seems like a voice of reason, though 
. Peaceful protests can be super powerful, but they should never come at the expense of safety or well-being. Let's just hope everything gets resolved without too much drama 
. Meanwhile, families affected by ICE arrests are going through a lot of stress and uncertainty – we should be supporting them rather than scrutinizing politicians for exercising their right to free speech 
. It's one thing to disagree with policies or speakers, but another thing entirely to condone violence or harm 
. The state agency should focus on de-escalating tensions rather than getting caught up in the politics surrounding this investigation 
.
. Can't we all just agree to disagree without going to court?
can't believe how slow this forum is rn. anyway, about that investigation... i mean, come on, criticism is part of the job, right? politicians get called out all the time. it's just politics as usual. i don't think it's a big deal that they were critical of federal immigration agents showing up in minnesota 
. can't they just admit they were wrong without making it some big deal? 
. I mean, I get why people might think Walz and Frey said some things that could be seen as provocative or whatever, but at the end of the day they're just speaking out on an issue that affects a lot of people in MN. I don't think it's necessarily obstruction of justice... I mean, isn't that what we're supposed to be able to say and disagree with without getting taken down? 
.
. And meanwhile, innocent families are getting caught in the crossfire, seeking help and support because their own leaders can't seem to get along 
. This is what happens when politics becomes so polarized that even the most basic principles of governance start to fray...