Yves here. The march towards a tyranny in the US continues apace. Below we feature a clip in which police chief in Minneapolis take the unusual but entirely warranted position of criticizing Federal goons, hiding behind masks as ICE officers, for repeated civil rights violations. The segment below omits an opening section in which the Brooklyn Park chief of police takes pains to say that he and his officers believe in enforcing immigration laws and until recently have had a cooperative relationship with Federal immigration enforcement personnel.
This is 2m 19s of his 3m 53s video which I think shows the highlights.
ICE has stopped, assaulted, and threatened off duty Minneapolis officers.
Trump’s Gestapo attacks the Real Police charged with protecting the citizens. pic.twitter.com/1H9EAfZ7oC
— Mike Lamb (@ML73050761) January 21, 2026
It is important to know what a bad look this is. Conservatives generally support police. They, particularly libertarians, also are normally behind the rule of low since they want it enforced. Seeing a wall of policemen standing behind a senior officer to attest to abuses of off-duty police by ICE thugs is an important message that will register with those not in the pro-Trump white supremacist camp that ICE really is operating like jackboots.
And it is not as if this law-breaking is limited to Minnesota:
ICE physically attacks lawyer—stand between her and clients they’re trying to detain.
“Don’t push me!” lawyer yells. “Why you trying to pick them up?”
“It’s none of your business,” agent scolds.
“It is my business—I’m their attorney,” she replies. “It’s EXACTLY my business!”… pic.twitter.com/KZKFRarPpv
— LongTime🤓FirstTime👨💻 (@LongTimeHistory) January 20, 2026
Below we see the DOJ using the same intimidation tactic against Minnesota officials it is pursuing with Fed governor Lisa Cook and Fed Chair Jerome Powell, that of issuing criminal subpoenas against them to try to get them to resign or otherwise back down. These filings are clearly retaliatory, since they come shortly after Minnesota’s Attorney General Keith Ellison on behalf of the state and the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul sued to obtain a temporary injunction against ICE operations in the state. The Federal judge hearing the matter was ready to act quickly but wanted the Federal government to respond promptly. I have not read her comments in full but the press account make it sound as if she was including the Martin Luther King day holiday in her timetable.
The response, at least if remarks by Federal officials are any guide, sound like a handwave, that the filing is “legally frivolous“. If that is all they intend to argue, they got nuthin.
And if they really believe that, why deploy the club of criminal subpoenas issued against officials? Why not let the litigation play out?
On top of that, if I read the story below correctly, the criminal subpoena seeks official records of Ellison’s office related to the ICE operation. That is attorney-client privileged given that the office is now acting on behalf of the state against ICE. The high-handedness really is breathtaking.
By Jessica Corbett, staff writer at Common Dreams. Originally published at Common Dreams
The US Department of Justice on Tuesday subpoenaed top Minnesota officials, including Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, as part of the DOJ’s investigation into alleged conspiracy to impede the thousands of federal immigration agents sent to the Twin Cities by President Donald Trump—a probe Walz has condemned as part of a broader trend of the administration “weaponizing the justice system.”
Walz—who ran for vice president in 2024—was similarly critical of the grand jury subpoenas, which were also served to state Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Saint Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, and Ramsey County Attorney John Choi.
“Mr. President, Minnesota invites you to see our values in action,” Walz began a lengthy statement shared on social media. “But let me be absolutely clear: The state of Minnesota will not be drawn into political theater. This Department of Justice investigation, sparked by calls for accountability in the face of violence, chaos, and the killing of Renee Good, does not seek justice.”
“It is a partisan distraction,” Walz declared, detailing how the flood of immigration agents is negatively impacting communities and arguing that the Trump administration should focus on “restoring trust, accountability, and real law and order, not political retaliation.”
pic.twitter.com/rGLZVW34kc
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) January 20, 2026
After US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Jonathan Ross fatally shot Good earlier this month, Trump and others in his administration called the deceased 37-year-old mother of three a “domestic terrorist” and claimed the ICE officer was acting in self-defense, a narrative betrayed by numerous videos, eyewitness accounts, and detailed analyses of the shooting.
As protesters continued to fill Minnesota’s streets, Ellison and the Twin Cities sued the US Department of Homeland Security—which includes Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and ICE—in hopes of ending what the attorney general called a “federal invasion.” The ACLU quickly followed with a class action lawsuit aimed at ending DHS agents’ unlawful stops and arrests.
In a Tuesday statement about the subpoena, Ellison noted the suit he recently filed on behalf of the state:
Less than two weeks ago, federal agents shot and killed a Minnesotan in broad daylight. Now, instead of seriously investigating the killing of Renee Good, Trump is weaponizing the justice system against any leader who dares stand up to him.
Today, my office has received a criminal grand jury subpoena from the Department of Justice. It is a subpoena for records and documents related to my office’s work with respect to federal immigration enforcement, not for me personally. Everything about this is highly irregular, especially the fact that this comes shortly after my office sued the Trump administration to challenge their illegal actions within Minnesota.
Let’s be clear about why this is happening: Donald Trump is coming after the people of Minnesota, and I’m standing in his way. I will not be intimidated, and I will not stop working to protect Minnesotans from Trump’s campaign of retaliation and revenge.“
Frey—who told ICE to “get the fuck out of Minneapolis” after Ross killed Good—said Tuesday that “when the federal government weaponizes its power to try to intimidate local leaders for doing their jobs, every American should be concerned.”
“We shouldn’t have to live in a country where people fear that federal law enforcement will be used to play politics or crack down on local voices they disagree with,” he continued. “In Minneapolis, we won’t be afraid. We know the difference between right and wrong, and, as mayor, I’ll continue doing the job I was elected to do: keeping our community safe and standing up for our values.”
Christina Harvey, executive director of the progressive advocacy group Stand Up America, also asserted that the DOJ’s probe “isn’t a legitimate search for wrongdoing. It’s an attempt to intimidate elected officials who are demanding justice for the killing of Renee Good and trying to protect their communities from Trump’s chaotic immigration crackdown.”
“Trump is once again weaponizing the DOJ against his political opponents while shielding his own DHS secretary and ICE agents from accountability as they violate due process, use lethal violence against American citizens, and show a clear disregard for human life,” she continued. “This administration mistakes bullying for strength and believes it is above the law.”
If US Attorney General Pam Bondi “really cared about justice, she’d be investigating the killing of Renee Good,” Harvey added, “not harassing public servants for doing their jobs.”
News of the subpoenas came as Greg Bovino, commander at large for CBP, and Marcos Charles, executive associate director of ICE, defended federal agents’ operations during a Tuesday afternoon press conference, with the former claiming that “what we do is legal, ethical, and moral.”
Sharing a video of Bovino’s remarks on social media, journalist Aaron Rupar simply said, “Bovino lies shamelessly.”
