More than a week after the death of Reene Good during an immigration operation, the Justice Department opened an investigation against Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for alleged conspiracy to obstruct the work of federal agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Border Patrol in their jurisdictions.

The investigation focuses on a possible violation of the conspiracy law and stems from public statements by Walz and Frey against the deployment of thousands of federal agents to the state during an immigration crackdown that resulted in more than 2,500 arrests. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because it is an ongoing process.

Walz, in a statement, called the investigation an attempt to use the justice system “as a weapon” against political opponents and described it as a “dangerous and authoritarian tactic.”

The governor's office said it has not received formal notification about the investigation. Frey's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Accusations against Walz and Frey

Trump administration officials have accused Minnesota's Democratic leaders of corruption and unreliability in handling the crisis, while state officials maintain that the federal deployment constitutes an "invasion" that violates state sovereignty. This week, Minnesota's attorney general filed a lawsuit against the federal government alleging unconstitutionality in the immigration enforcement operation.

President Trump warned that he will intervene directly in Minnesota to quell the protests,promising to act “swiftly and effectively” if deemed necessary. Tensions have escalated following a second incident in which an ICE agent shot a Venezuelan immigrant during an arrest, wounding him in the leg. The law under which Walz and Frey are being investigated includes conspiracy to obstruct federal investigations, a charge similar to that applied in cases of protesters interfering with immigration operations, according to the Washington Post.