A US federal judge on Monday blocked the Trump administration's attempt to subpoena Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and several other state and local officials, ruling that the effort was designed to pressure them into assisting federal immigration enforcement and to “harass and retaliate against them” for refusing to do so.

The White House was trying to force compliance during Operation Metro Surge in January.

The court cited the “overwhelming evidence that these subpoenas were not issued to investigate, but to harass, coerce, and retaliate.”