Evidence is incomplete or still developing; a future update may resolve it. Learn more in Methodology.
DHS's claim is that Governor Walz refused cooperation with ICE and that nearly 470 criminal noncitizens were released; verifying requires checking custody/transfer records and state/local policies.
The DHS press release dated January 13, 2026, explicitly states that since President Trump took office, Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey "refuse to cooperate with ICE" and that they have "released nearly 470 criminal illegal aliens back onto the streets" of Minnesota, confirming that DHS did in fact make this allegation. However, Minnesota’s Attorney General issued a formal legal opinion in February 2025 stating that state and local law enforcement are legally prohibited from holding people solely on ICE civil detainers if they would otherwise be released, suggesting state non‑cooperation is grounded in state law rather than unilateral refusal. Walz’s office is quoted in independent coverage as saying the DHS accusations are “categorically false” and that the Department of Corrections honors all detainers and notifies ICE of release dates, but neither DHS nor independent, verifiable data publicly substantiate the specific figure of “nearly 470” criminal noncitizens released due to Walz’s decisions. Because the statement mixes an easily verifiable fact (that DHS made the claim) with a numerical assertion and characterization (470 releases and “refused to cooperate”) that lack transparent supporting evidence and are disputed by state officials, the overall accuracy of the full claim cannot be clearly determined from available records.
Verdict: Unclear, because while DHS demonstrably made this claim, the underlying factual components about Walz’s cooperation with ICE and the release of approximately 470 criminal noncitizens cannot be independently verified and are contested by Minnesota state authorities.