A United States government attorney has been removed from her Justice Department posting in Minnesota after making candid remarks during a federal court hearing, including telling the judge that her job "sucks." The incident occurred amid a significant surge in immigration enforcement operations in the state, which has become the largest such initiative for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since its escalation in early January.
Courtroom Outburst Leads to Immediate Removal
According to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel issues, Julie Le had been working on a temporary detail for the Justice Department when her assignment was terminated by the U.S. attorney in Minnesota. This action followed her comments during a Tuesday hearing in St. Paul before U.S. District Judge Jerry Blackwell.
Le, who had previously worked as an ICE attorney in immigration court for the Department of Homeland Security, told the judge she had "stupidly" volunteered for the Minnesota detail. During the hearing for multiple immigration cases, she expressed extreme frustration with her workload and the system.
"The System Sucks": Transcript Reveals Attorney's Frustration
According to a transcript of the proceedings, Le told Judge Blackwell: "What do you want me to do? The system sucks. This job sucks. And I am trying every breath that I have so that I can get you what you need." She even suggested the judge hold her in contempt of court "so that I can have a full 24 hours of sleep."
Online court records indicate Le had been assigned at least 88 cases in less than a month, reflecting the intense pressure on legal staff handling the immigration enforcement surge. She told the court she wasn't properly trained for the assignment and wanted to resign but couldn't secure a replacement.
Judge Responds to Workload Concerns
Judge Blackwell acknowledged the volume of cases but emphasized it didn't excuse non-compliance with court orders. He expressed particular concern about individuals arrested in immigration operations being routinely jailed for days after judges had ordered their release.
"And I hear the concerns about all the energy that this is causing the DOJ to expend, but, with respect, some of it is of your own making by not complying with orders," Blackwell told Le during the hearing.
Broader Context of Minnesota Immigration Operations
The incident occurs against a backdrop of significant challenges within Minnesota's immigration enforcement system. ICE officials have confirmed the current operation represents their largest-ever immigration initiative in the state. Several prosecutors have reportedly left the U.S. Attorney's office in Minnesota amid frustration with both the immigration enforcement surge and the Justice Department's response to fatal shootings of two civilians by federal agents.
Kira Kelley, an attorney representing two petitioners at the hearing, commented on the systemic issues, stating the flood of immigration petitions was necessary because "so many people are being detained without any semblance of a lawful basis." She added, "And there's no indication here that any new systems or bolded e-mails or any instructions to ICE are going to fix any of this."
Attorney's Assessment of Systemic Problems
During her courtroom remarks, Le highlighted what she perceived as fundamental problems with the immigration system. "Fixing a system, a broken system, I don't have a magic button to do it. I don't have the power or the voice to do it," she told Judge Blackwell.
Representatives for the Department of Homeland Security, ICE, and the U.S. Attorney's office in Minnesota, along with Le herself, did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the incident and her removal from the Justice Department assignment.
