U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi is pressing Minnesota to provide federal authorities access to voter registration records and public assistance data, a move that drew immediate backlash from state officials and voting-rights experts as tensions flare over immigration enforcement in Minneapolis.
In a letter obtained by news outlets, Bondi urged Gov. Tim Walz to share records tied to programs such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and to open state cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, including asking the state to undo so-called sanctuary policies.
The demand arrives as Minneapolis confronts protests after a second person was shot during an enforcement operation involving federal immigration agents. Critics argue the letter effectively links compliance on sensitive data to the federal government’s posture in Minnesota, escalating an already volatile political standoff.
Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon rejected the request, arguing it would expose private data of millions of residents and violate state and federal protections. He also noted that the governor does not directly run elections administration, positioning the letter as misdirected and politically loaded.
Bondi framed the request as necessary to verify compliance with federal election law and to investigate potential fraud in public assistance programs. Opponents countered that there has been no demonstrated need for sweeping voter-roll access and warned that such demands can be used to intimidate voters or pressure state agencies.
The dispute adds another layer to the broader fight between the Trump administration and Democratic-led states over immigration authority, policing, and the boundaries of federal power. Minnesota officials indicated they want de-escalation and accountability for recent violence, not expanded federal reach into state data systems.