A federal judge in Minnesota has accused Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of failing to comply with court orders to release wrongly detained immigrants, prompting a Department of Justice (DOJ) lawyer to express her frustration in court. During a hearing on Tuesday, DOJ attorney Julie Le told District Judge Jerry R. Blackwell that she wished he would hold her in contempt so she could get 24 hours of sleep.
“The system sucks, this job sucks, I am trying with every breath I have to get you what I need,” Le said, according to FOX 9. Le, a Homeland Security attorney who volunteered to help the U.S. Attorney’s Office, has been assigned to over 80 immigration cases since the Trump administration launched Operation Metro Surge last month, sending more than 3,000 federal officers into Minnesota.
Judge Blackwell expressed frustration over indiscriminate arrests of people without criminal records who remain in custody despite court orders for their release. “Some of this is of your own making because of non-compliance with orders,” he said. Le admitted that ICE was unprepared to argue cases in federal court, stating, “We have no guidance or direction on what we need to do.”
The hearing comes amid a surge of lawsuits alleging unlawful arrests of immigrants and citizens. Federal judges across the country have criticised ICE’s operations, with some describing them as behaviour that “shocks the conscience.” Last month, Minnesota’s chief federal judge considered holding ICE Director Todd Lyons in contempt over violations of court orders, listing 96 orders from 74 cases that ICE allegedly failed to follow since the start of the year.
Administration officials have defended ICE’s actions, appealing rulings and accusing “activist” judges of obstructing the president’s agenda. Meanwhile, top federal prosecutors in Minnesota have resigned over frustrations with the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
