The top federal judge in Minnesota has criticized the Trump administration for not following court orders regarding hearings for detained immigrants. Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz has demanded that Todd Lyons, the acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), appear before him to explain why he shouldn’t be held in contempt. Schiltz expressed dissatisfaction with the administration’s handling of bond hearings for detained immigrants, noting the lack of resources to address the influx of habeas petitions and lawsuits resulting from the detainments.
This directive comes after U.S. President Donald Trump tasked border czar Tom Homan with overseeing the administration’s immigration enforcement in Minnesota following the recent death of an individual at the hands of an immigration officer. Trump mentioned positive discussions with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey regarding the situation.
Governor Walz’s office stated that he emphasized the need for impartial investigations into the shootings involving federal officers during his meeting with Homan. Minneapolis Mayor Frey and Police Chief Brian O’Hara also engaged in productive discussions with Homan, agreeing to ongoing communication with the border czar.
In response to protests against federal immigration raids, the White House initially blamed Democratic leaders. However, following the controversial killing of Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol officer, the administration replaced Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino with Tom Homan to lead operations in Minnesota.
Immigration enforcement activities were observed across the Twin Cities region, with uncertain changes in tactics following the White House’s shift in approach. Chief Judge Schiltz’s order coincided with a federal court hearing requested by the state and city mayors to halt the immigration enforcement surge.
Schiltz emphasized the extraordinary nature of requiring the head of a federal agency to appear in court due to ICE’s repeated violations of court orders. The judge highlighted the failure of previous attempts to address the administration’s non-compliance and stressed the need for corrective action.