Investigation Launched Against Minnesota Officials Amid ICE Controversy

Sat Jan 17 2026 06:00:13 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The U.S. Justice Department is investigating Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for allegedly obstructing federal immigration agents. This comes in the wake of a tragic shooting incident involving an ICE agent.

Minnesota's Governor and Minneapolis Mayor are under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department for potential obstruction of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, which has intensified following the recent shooting of a local woman by an ICE agent. Protests continue as the community grapples with the implications of federal actions and local governance.

The US 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, although he has previously been accused by the Trump administration of inflammatory rhetoric for describing ICE as a modern-day Gestapo. Frey has demanded that immigration agents get out of Minneapolis.

The inquiry is focused on a federal statute, 18 U.S.C. § 372, which makes it a crime for two or more people to conspire to prevent federal officers from carrying out their official duties through force, intimidation or threats, a US official told CBS.

Protests continued in Minneapolis on Friday after new details emerged about the death of Good, and local officials appealed for calm on the streets over this public holiday weekend.

Good was pronounced dead in the ambulance after being found unresponsive with an irregular pulse. An incident report indicated multiple gunshot wounds, leading to questions about the response from ICE agents involved.

Local officials contested the narrative put forth by the Trump administration, emphasizing that Good had been acting as a legal observer and posed no threat. Video footage from the incident showed ICE personnel approaching Good's vehicle, which was obstructing traffic, leading to the tragic shooting.

Meanwhile, President Trump criticized the demonstrations and lokale leaders, while asserting he had no immediate plans to intervene with federal troops. Protests condemning ICE operations continue, with local lawmakers demanding accountability and reform in federal immigration practices.