Minnesota Judge Summons ICE Director Over Violations/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ A federal judge has ordered ICE’s acting director to appear in court over due process failures in Minnesota. The agency is accused of detaining immigrants without court-mandated hearings. The judge warned of possible contempt charges.
ICE Due Process Violations Quick Looks
- Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz demands ICE director Todd Lyons appear in court Friday.
- The judge accuses ICE of ignoring court orders on immigrant bond hearings.
- A specific case involves Juan T.R., still detained despite a court-ordered hearing.
- Schiltz says ICE’s behavior is “extraordinary” and “lesser measures have failed.”
- ICE deployed thousands of agents to Minnesota but failed to process legal cases.
- This follows Trump’s appointment of Tom Homan to lead Minnesota enforcement.
- Judge will cancel the hearing if the petitioner is released.
- ICE and DHS have not yet commented on the court order.
- The case adds to legal pressure on Trump’s immigration crackdown.
Minnesota Judge Summons ICE Director Over Violations: Deep Look
MINNEAPOLIS — A federal judge has taken the rare step of ordering the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Todd Lyons, to personally appear in court this Friday to explain why his agency has allegedly failed to provide court-mandated bond hearings to detained immigrants in Minnesota.
In a sharply worded order issued Monday, Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz of the U.S. District Court of Minnesota said ICE’s repeated failure to comply with due process requirements cannot be tolerated. He indicated the agency may be held in contempt of court.
“This Court has been extremely patient,” Schiltz wrote, noting that ICE had flooded Minnesota with thousands of agents but made no apparent effort to prepare for the legal consequences, including a flood of habeas petitions and lawsuits from detainees.
The judge cited the case of Juan T.R., a detained immigrant whose petition for a bond hearing was granted on January 14. The court ordered that hearing to be held within seven days, but as of January 23, his attorneys reported that he was still in custody.
Unless the individual is released immediately, Judge Schiltz said, Lyons must appear in person Friday to explain why he shouldn’t be held in contempt.
Judge: Violations Are “Extraordinary”
Schiltz acknowledged that summoning the head of a federal agency to court is highly unusual, but said the situation demands it due to ICE’s “extraordinary” disregard for judicial authority.
“Lesser measures have been tried and failed,” the judge wrote, noting that ICE repeatedly assured the court it was complying — while violations continued.
The order is part of a broader pushback from state and city officials over the Trump administration’s aggressive “Operation Metro Surge” — a mass immigration enforcement campaign that has drawn lawsuits and widespread protest.
ICE Faces Expanding Legal Scrutiny
The case deepens the legal entanglements facing ICE and the Trump administration, which recently installed Tom Homan as its point person in Minnesota following public outrage over two deadly immigration enforcement incidents in January.
On Monday, attorneys representing the State of Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul argued in federal court for a halt to the federal surge, calling the enforcement campaign punitive and potentially unconstitutional.
Judge Schiltz’s order is separate but related, reinforcing the mounting criticism that ICE has operated outside the bounds of due process during its Minnesota operations.
DHS, ICE Stay Silent
As of Tuesday morning, ICE and the Department of Homeland Security had not issued a public response to the court order.
The judge offered one potential off-ramp: If Juan T.R. is released, the court appearance could be canceled.
“Respondents have continually assured the Court that they recognize their obligation to comply… Unfortunately, the violations continue,” Schiltz said.
The ruling signals that federal judges in Minnesota are losing patience with ICE’s conduct and may take further action if compliance does not improve.
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