Trump administration demands voter data to withdraw ICE from Minnesota and is accused of coercion

Minnesota officials have accused the U.S. government of trying to embarrass the state by demanding access to sensitive voter data as a condition of reducing the presence of federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. The complaint was made after a letter was sent from the Department of Justice to the state administration, amid an escalation of clashes between ICE and city residents, which has already resulted in two deaths.

According to Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, the request came from US Attorney General Pam Bondi in a document sent to Governor Tim Walz on January 24. Among the demands listed, the Department of Justice requested that the Civil Rights Division have access to the state’s voter lists. Simon stated that the local government rejected the demand, classifying the initiative as an attempt at illegal coercion to obtain the private data of millions of citizens.

The demand occurred while ICE has maintained, since December, an extensive operation in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, cities known as “Sister Cities”. The federal government maintains that the mobilization aims to reinforce migration control, but the agents’ actions provoked a strong popular reaction, with protests, clashes in the streets and deaths involving civilians and federal forces.

One of the most recent episodes happened on Saturday, when nurse Alex Pretti was shot dead during an ICE raid. Earlier this month, a woman was also shot and killed by a federal agent during a stop on a residential street. The events intensified pressure on local authorities to remove agents from the city.

The letter signed by Pam Bondi accused the Minnesota government of refusing to enforce federal law and adopting policies that she said favored criminals. In addition to voter lists, the Justice Department has demanded the sharing of records of beneficiaries of social programs such as Medicaid and food assistance, and the repeal of policies known as “sanctuary” that limit local cooperation with immigration enforcement.

The impasse occurs in a sensitive political context for the state, which has voted overwhelmingly for Democratic candidates for decades and is currently governed by Tim Walz. Minnesota will hold gubernatorial elections in November, and the crisis with the federal government has amplified local debate over immigration, use of force by federal agents and limits on Washington’s authority over states governed by opposition parties.

Until the last update, the White House had not officially commented on Minnesota’s refusal to provide the requested data.