The United States Department of Justice is probing two notable liberal figures from Minnesota over alleged attempts to obstruct federal immigration enforcement, marking a significant intensification of tensions between Trump’s administration and Democratic leaders.

Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis’ Mayor Jacob Frey are under scrutiny relating to remarks made regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as reported by CBS News, a partner of the BBC in the US.

This investigation follows a federal judge’s ruling that restricted the actions of numerous federal law enforcement personnel in Minneapolis, preventing them from deploying pepper spray and arresting non-violent demonstrators.

Demonstrations have escalated in the city after 37-year-old Renee Good was shot dead by an ICE agent last week.

New information regarding Good’s death emerged on Friday. The Minneapolis resident was discovered by emergency medical personnel with at least three gunshot wounds, and possibly a fourth to her head, according to official documents reviewed by CBS.

In response to the inquiry news against him, Governor Walz tweeted on X: “Using the legal system as a weapon against your adversaries is a tactic of authoritarianism.

“The sole individual not under investigation for Renee Good’s shooting is the federal agent who shot her.”

Mayor Frey stated to the BBC, “I will not yield to intimidation”.

“This is a transparent attempt to intimidate me for defending Minneapolis, our local law enforcement, and our residents against the chaos and peril this Administration has inflicted upon our streets,” he noted.

The BBC has contacted the Department of Justice concerning the apparent investigation.

While urging Minnesotans to protest peacefully, the governor has faced accusations from Trump administration officials of using inflammatory language, such as referring to ICE as a “modern-day Gestapo”. Frey has called for immigration agents to leave Minneapolis.

The investigation centers on a federal law, 18 U.S.C. § 372, which criminalizes conspiring to obstruct federal officers from performing their official roles through “force, intimidation, or threats”, as per a US official’s statement to CBS.

Demonstrations persisted in Minneapolis on Friday as US District Judge Katherine Menendez prohibited federal agencies from using pepper spray and other non-lethal measures against demonstrators.

Her 83-page ruling stops the thousands of federal officers stationed in the city for immigration enforcement from detaining peaceful demonstrators.

It also restricts them from halting or apprehending individuals in vehicles unless “there is reasonable articulable suspicion that they are forcibly obstructing or interfering”.

The judge clarified that merely following federal law enforcement in a vehicle “does not, by itself, create reasonable suspicion to justify a vehicle stop”.

Prior to her death, footage captured Good in her SUV, seemingly honking the horn to warn neighbors of the immigration authorities’ presence.

The Trump administration argues that Good was obstructing federal law enforcement and attempted to run over the agent before he discharged his weapon. Local authorities maintain that Good was merely a legal observer who posed no threat.

Video footage shows ICE agents approaching a vehicle that was parked in the street and blocking traffic. An officer commands her to exit the vehicle.

As Good seemingly tries to flee by turning the wheel, her Honda Pilot SUV moves forward while one of the agents stands close to the vehicle’s front. He draws his weapon and fires.

An incident report from the Minneapolis Fire Department, reviewed by CBS News, indicated that when they arrived at the shooting site last week, Good appeared to have sustained two gunshot wounds to her chest, one to her left forearm, and a possible fourth wound from a bullet on “the left side of the patient’s head”.

Emergency responders found Good unresponsive with an irregular pulse, and she was declared dead while en route to the hospital, as per the report examined by CBS.

Video from the incident shows the agent walking away afterwards.

However, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials informed CBS that the officer experienced internal bleeding in the torso following the event. No additional information has been provided.

The FBI is conducting an investigation into the event, although there is currently no federal civil rights inquiry concerning the agent who discharged his weapon. Local leaders and agencies report they have been excluded from the investigation.

In the interim, President Donald Trump criticized protesters and local officials on Friday.

On Truth Social, he labeled demonstrators as “highly compensated professionals”, claiming that Walz and Frey had “completely lost control”.

Later, the Republican president told reporters at the White House that he did not intend to invoke the Insurrection Act and deploy troops to address unrest in Minnesota, despite suggesting earlier in the week that he might do so.

“If it becomes necessary, I would utilize it. However, I see no reason to use it at this time,” he stated. “It’s a very powerful measure,” he added.

Thousands of ICE agents are still operating in the state.

Democratic lawmakers traveled to the city for a hearing and spent Friday denouncing federal immigration actions in the state, accusing ICE of reckless and unlawful behavior.

Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota congresswoman who has clashed with Trump for some time, asserted that ICE is attempting to “incite chaos and fear”.

Adriano Espaillat, a congressman from New York, remarked that ICE had turned into a “lethal weapon”.

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal from Washington stated that ICE agents should not be permitted to conceal their identities, make arrests without warrants, and should be mandated to wear body cameras and name tags.

The Democratic lawmakers also listened to complaints from several locals who claimed to have been handcuffed and detained by ICE for hours before they could prove their citizenship.

The BBC has reached out to DHS and ICE for commentary.

DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin informed CNN on Friday that if there is “reasonable suspicion” regarding someone in close proximity to an individual being apprehended by DHS forces, they might be required to verify their identity.

She dismissed claims that such tactics could be discriminatory, asserting that “racial bias has no place within DHS”.

US President Donald Trump has indicated his intention to impose tariffs on countries that do not support his desire to annex Greenland.

During a meeting at the White House, Trump stated he “might apply a tariff on nations if they don’t align with Greenland”, which is a self-governed region of Denmark.

He did not specify which nations could face new tariffs or the legal basis he would use to implement such import duties for his objective.

In addition to Denmark and Greenland, other nations oppose his aspirations, and many within the US have shown doubts regarding an acquisition. While Trump addressed this, a bipartisan congressional team was in Greenland to offer support for the territory.

The delegation of 11 included Republicans who expressed apprehension about the president’s demands for the US to find a way to acquire Greenland for national defense purposes. They met with MPs, including Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland’s leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen.

Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat and the group leader, mentioned their visit aimed to hear the sentiments of locals and convey their insights back to Washington “to alleviate tensions”.

Trump has asserted that Greenland is crucial for national security – and that the US would secure it “either easily” or “with force” – seemingly referring to purchasing the territory or seizing it.

“I might put a tariff on nations if they don’t support Greenland, as we require Greenland for national security,” Trump commented at the White House meeting focused on rural health care.

Although Greenland is thinly populated, it is rich in resources, and its strategic location between North America and the Arctic positions it well for missile defense warning systems and monitoring vessels in that area.

The US currently maintains over 100 military personnel at its Pituffik base – a missile monitoring site at Greenland’s northwestern point operated by the US since World War II.

According to existing agreements with Denmark, the US possesses the authority to deploy as many troops as needed to Greenland.

However, Trump has stated that the US must “own” Greenland to effectively protect it from potential attacks by Russia or China.

Denmark has cautioned that any military intervention would threaten the survival of NATO – the trans-Atlantic defense alliance where the US is the most powerful member.

NATO operates under the principle that allies must assist one another in the event of an external attack – it has never confronted a scenario where one member would utilize force against another.

European allies have rallied in support of Denmark.

They have emphasized that the Arctic region is of equal importance to them and that its security should be a collective NATO responsibility – with US involvement.

Consequently, several nations, including France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, and the UK, have sent a small contingent of troops to Greenland for a reconnaissance mission.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that “land, air, and sea acumen” would soon be deployed.

The arrival of the US congressional delegation follows unsuccessful high-level discussions in Washington, designed to deter Trump from his intentions.

The group includes senators and representatives from the House who are strong proponents of NATO.

Although Coons and most participants are Democrats who staunchly oppose Trump, the group also includes moderate Republican Senators Thom Tillis and Lisa Murkowski.

Greenlandic MP Aaja Chemnitz expressed that the encounter with US lawmakers left her “optimistic”. She shared with the BBC: “We need friends. We require allies.”

When queried about the significant divide between the White House perspective and that of Greenland and Denmark, she remarked: “It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

“The pressure from the US has been apparent since 2019. It would be naive to think that this issue is concluded now.”

She added: “Things are shifting almost by the hour. Therefore, the more support we can gather, the better.”

Murkowski is backing a bipartisan proposal aimed at preventing any attempt to annex Greenland.

A Republican congressman has also proposed a competing bill advocating for the annexation of the island.

Trump’s representative to Greenland, Jeff Landry, stated on Fox News on Friday that the US should negotiate with Greenland’s leaders rather than with Denmark.

“I genuinely believe a deal should happen and will occur once this unfolds,” he remarked.

“The president is earnest. He has set the parameters.

“He has communicated his expectations to Denmark, and now it is a question of Secretary [of State Marco] Rubio and Vice-President JD Vance finalizing an agreement.

“The United States has always been a welcoming entity. We do not intervene seeking to dominate or seize another country.

“We advocate, ‘We represent freedom. We embody economic power. We offer protection.’

The foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland engaged with Vance and Rubio at the White House on Wednesday.

A Danish official revealed to the BBC, under condition of anonymity, that the US vice-president suggested trying to find a “compromise” that would please Trump while addressing the concerns of Denmark and Greenland.

The official noted that the idea of a US military takeover of Greenland was not broached in the White House discussions.

“We have never engaged in any talks with any high-ranking official or minister regarding the potential of the United States deploying” troops in Greenland, the official stated.

Nonetheless, the Danish official indicated that Denmark is taking Trump’s expressed intention to acquire Greenland seriously.

“We operate under the assumption that what he states, he means,” the official concluded.