DOJ Attorney Pleads for Contempt to Get Sleep Amid Immigration Case Avalanche
A Department of Justice lawyer made an extraordinary plea in a Minnesota federal courtroom this week, asking a judge to hold her in contempt of court so she could finally get some rest. The attorney, Julie Le, declared "this job sucks" and "the system sucks" as she described being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of immigration cases flooding the courts.
Judge Confronts Government Over "Alarming" Failures
District Judge Jerry R. Blackwell summoned government attorneys to explain why Immigration and Customs Enforcement continues to violate court orders regarding the release of detained immigrants. The judge expressed deep frustration with what he called "alarming" failures in compliance and questioned why officials shouldn't be held in contempt.
According to reports from Minnesota's FOX 9, Le told the court: "I wish you would just hold me in contempt of court so I can 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."
Operation Metro Surge Creates Legal Tsunami
The crisis stems from Operation Metro Surge, a Trump administration initiative that deployed more than 3,000 federal officers to Minnesota last month. Le, a private practice attorney who volunteered to assist the U.S. Attorney's Office, has been assigned to more than 80 immigration cases resulting from this operation.
She explained to Judge Blackwell that she is simply overwhelmed by the number of legal challenges emerging from the immigration crackdown. "I am here to make sure the agency understands how important it is to comply with court orders," Le stated during the hearing, appearing visibly distressed.
Federal Courts "Swimming" in Immigration Cases
Federal courts across Minnesota are now inundated with cases alleging unlawful arrests of both immigrants and citizens caught in what judges have described as a mass deportation dragnet. The situation has reached such critical levels that judges across the ideological spectrum nationwide are grappling with thousands of immigration challenges that rarely make headlines.
Judge Blackwell discovered that ICE has been making indiscriminate arrests of people without criminal records who remain in federal custody despite court orders for their immediate release. He bluntly told government attorneys that "some of this is of your own making because of non-compliance with orders."
Systemic Problems in Immigration Courts
Le, who previously worked as an immigration court attorney for ICE, revealed that the agency was completely unprepared to argue cases in federal court. "We have no guidance or direction on what we need to do," she testified on Tuesday, highlighting systemic failures within the immigration enforcement system.
Unlike standard federal district courts, immigration courts operate under the direction of the U.S. Attorney General and Justice Department, creating additional layers of bureaucratic complexity that contribute to the current crisis.
Growing Judicial Frustration Nationwide
Judge Blackwell represents just one voice in a growing chorus of federal judges whose patience with ICE's operations is wearing dangerously thin. Minnesota's chief federal judge, Patrick J. Schiltz, was prepared to hold ICE director Todd Lyons in contempt last month over what he termed "extraordinary" violations of court orders in the state.
Judge Schiltz recently documented 96 court orders from 74 different cases that ICE allegedly failed to follow since the beginning of the year, noting this count was "almost certainly substantially understated." He warned that the court's "patience is at an end" with the agency's consistent non-compliance.
Prosecutor Exodus Compounds Crisis
Meanwhile, the U.S. Attorney's office in Minnesota is experiencing a significant exodus of experienced prosecutors frustrated with the Trump administration's immigration agenda. At least eight career prosecutors are reportedly leaving the office, following several resignations last month under pressure from the Justice Department.
Veteran prosecutor Joseph Thompson, who previously served as Minnesota's acting U.S. attorney, was among at least six prosecutors who departed recently. These departures follow reports of political interference in cases and refusals to investigate certain matters as civil rights violations.
Nationwide, the Trump administration has pushed out approximately 5,500 attorneys and Justice Department employees through firings, forced resignations, or buyouts, according to advocacy group Justice Connection. This represents roughly half of the department's legal workforce, creating additional strain on an already overwhelmed system.
Broader Implications for Justice System
The current crisis extends beyond immigration enforcement to touch fundamental questions about judicial independence and the rule of law. Administration officials have vigorously defended ICE's actions while appealing rulings against them, broadly attacking judicial decisions as the work of "activist" judges obstructing presidential agenda.
As federal courts continue to swim in lawsuits alleging unlawful immigration arrests and brutal conditions in detention centers, the system faces unprecedented strain. Judges have described Homeland Security's street-level operations as behavior that "shocks the conscience," while attorneys like Julie Le struggle simply to keep their heads above water in the legal deluge.
The Independent has requested comment from the Justice Department regarding these systemic failures and the extraordinary courtroom plea from one of its own attorneys.
