Minnesota officials ask protesters to stay peaceful ahead of weekend demonstrations in the state
01:54
Legal expert weighs in on federal investigation into Walz and Frey
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey are under federal investigation for an alleged plot to obstruct federal immigration agents, multiple sources familiar with the matter told CBS News.
One of the sources, a U.S. official, said the investigation stemmed from statements by Walz and Frey about the thousands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents. deployed in the Minneapolis area in recent weeks.
Subpoenas will likely be issued as part of the investigation, sources familiar with the matter told CBS News.
Professor David Schultz, an expert on First Amendment law at Hamline University and the University of St. Thomas Law School, said he doesn’t expect the investigation to hold much water.
Schultz explained that Walz and Frey’s public comments fall under speech protection, noting that the bar would be incredibly high if the federal government tried to argue that either of them verbally encouraged a “true overt act of obstruction.”
“There is no instance on record, say in the modern history of the First Amendment, where simple criticism amounts to obstruction of justice,” Schultz said, adding that it is not surprising to him that President Trump would use the DOJ to make life even more difficult for Walz and other Minnesota officials.
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01:15
Backup document to help families prepare in the event of an ICE arrest
Families affected by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests are concerned about the safety and well-being of those left behind.
Scarlett, a 2-year-old girl, lives in a Minnesota shelter thanks to a Delegation of Parental Authority form.
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11:28 p.m.
Minnesota Safety Commissioner at Weekend Protests: ‘We Want to Be There to Help’
Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobsen said his agency and other state officials were aware of and prepared for planned protests this weekend.
“We want to be there to be helpful. We want to be there to keep the peace and, again, let’s be Minnesotans. Let’s be those who want to do things the right way, protest, share your opinions, share your values, share your thoughts, but do it in a way that doesn’t incite violence, that doesn’t bring more harm,” Jacobsen said at a news conference Friday afternoon.
This includes a protest that could pass through downtown Minneapolis, as well as a counter-protest planned in the same area.
