Federal authorities launched criminal investigations into Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey this week for publicly criticizing ICE operations involving nearly 3,000 agents deployed to the Twin Cities. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche issued grand jury subpoenas Friday investigating whether their statements constitute criminal conspiracy to obstruct federal law enforcement. The investigation follows ICE Agent Jonathan Ross’s fatal shooting of legal observer Renee Good on January 7. Meanwhile, the Justice Department declared the 99-year federal ban on mailing handguns unconstitutional, Congress passed six of twelve annual spending bills, and the Supreme Court opened pre-election challenges to mail ballot procedures in 25 states. Federal prosecutors revealed $692 million in cash left Minneapolis airport over two years while connecting to terrorist financing networks.
Federal Enforcement
The ICE deployment to Minneapolis involved nearly 3,000 agents, five times the size of the city’s police force. The operation prompted fatal confrontations and criminal probes of elected officials who criticized the enforcement actions.
Similar federal-local tensions emerged in Washington state, where Senate Bill 5974 would give an unelected state board power to remove elected sheriffs who refuse to enforce certain laws. The bill creates automatic vacancy if sheriffs lose state certification.
Gun Rights
The Trump administration reversed the 1927 federal prohibition on mailing handguns. Assistant Attorney General T. Elliot Gaiser’s 15-page opinion found the 99-year ban “aims to suppress traffic in constitutionally protected articles” and lacks historical analogues supporting peacetime restrictions.
Americans can now legally mail handguns for repairs, gifts, and personal transport without mandatory FFL middlemen.
Supreme Court
The Court ruled 7-2 in Bost v. Illinois that candidates can challenge election procedures without proving harm. The decision affects 25 states with mail ballot grace periods, potentially flooding courts with challenges before November elections.
The Court heard arguments Tuesday on transgender athlete bans, with the conservative majority signaling support for Idaho and West Virginia laws prohibiting biological males from competing in women’s sports. Chief Justice John Roberts questioned attorneys challenging the laws, while Justice Brett Kavanaugh noted that allowing biological males to compete would reverse 50 years of progress in girls’ athletics.
The Court also ruled unanimously in Case v. Montana that police can enter homes without warrants if they have “objectively reasonable basis” to believe someone inside needs emergency assistance.
Government Funding
Congress passed six of twelve annual appropriations bills with overwhelming bipartisan margins—votes of 397-28, 341-79, and 82-15. The bipartisan cooperation contrasts with last fall’s 43-day shutdown that pushed roughly half of U.S. states into recession.
Democrats who previously demanded Affordable Care Act subsidy extensions as a precondition for funding are now working on separate compromise legislation. The remaining six bills include Defense spending and Labor-Health packages accounting for two-thirds of annual discretionary federal spending.
Fraud Investigation
Federal prosecutors revealed $692 million in declared cash left Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport over two years—90 to 99 times larger than comparable airports. Senate Homeland Security Chairman Rand Paul launched an investigation after learning $5 million reached Al-Shabaab terrorist organization.
Federal prosecutors have charged 98 defendants, securing 64 convictions. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced new Geographic Targeting Orders requiring Minneapolis-area banks to report transactions over $3,000 with foreign beneficiaries. DHS terminated Temporary Protected Status for Somalia effective March 17.
Healthcare Funding
The Trump administration faced embarrassment when both President Trump and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed ignorance that their department had restored $27.5 million in federal grants to Planned Parenthood in December, prompting fury from pro-life leaders who supported Trump’s campaign.
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