The U.S. Department of Justice has issued subpoenas to five prominent Democratic officials in Minnesota as part of an investigation into their opposition to federal immigration enforcement, according to Breitbart. As reported by The New York Times, the move signals an expansion of the DOJ’s inquiry into how state and local leaders handled the Trump administration’s immigration measures in Minnesota.
The subpoenas call for records from Governor Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her related to their immigration enforcement policies. In addition, state Attorney General Keith Ellison and Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty were asked to provide similar documentation.
According to Breitbart, “the investigation is supercharged by the Democrats’ behind-the-scenes support for the mobs that harass federal enforcement officers and pro-enforcement demonstrations.”
President Donald Trump addressed the issue during a press conference on Tuesday, repeating his criticism of sanctuary jurisdictions. The President told reporters, “You’ve got to get rid of sanctuary cities,” underscoring his administration’s tough stance on immigration.
The subpoenas also come amid attention on a massive welfare fraud scandal in Minnesota, which authorities have linked to networks allegedly operating under Governor Walz’s watch. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said earlier this month that the scheme—described as the largest of its kind in U.S. history—diverted taxpayer funds meant for vulnerable groups such as children in special care programs and individuals with mental health needs.
“We are there in surge operations because of the largest fraud scheme in American history,” Noem said. “We had people stealing from taxpayers, stealing funds away from the most vulnerable individuals in this country, people who needed mental health services, developmental services, autism daycare. Instead, individuals came in — much from the Somalian community — and stole dollars from those people who needed it, and put it in their own pockets and enriched themselves. Did it right under Governor Walz’s nose and we believe that he didn’t just know about it, that he may be complicit in it as well.”
A New York Times magazine report published in November characterized the revelations as a “genuinely stunning fraud scandal” that unfolded during Walz’s tenure.