Judge Rebukes ICE for Violating 96 Court Orders in Minnesota

Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz of Minnesota castigated U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for violating 96 court orders across 74 cases in January 2026 alone. The violations occurred during Operation Metro Surge, an aggressive immigration crackdown where ICE frequently moved detainees out of state to avoid court-ordered deadlines. Judge Schiltz declared that ICE is not a law unto itself and warned that future noncompliance could result in government officials being forced to appear in court personally.

As part of this legal clash, Schiltz ordered ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons to appear in court to explain why the agency should not be held in contempt, specifically regarding the detention of Ecuadorian national Juan Hugo Tobay Robles. The judge later canceled the hearing after Tobay Robles was released from Texas custody on January 27. Meanwhile, Judge John Tunheim issued emergency orders blocking the detention of 5,600 lawful refugees in Minnesota and halting Operation PARRIS, a DHS campaign targeting resettled refugees.

These judicial rebukes follow an escalation of violence in Minneapolis, including the fatal shootings of U.S. citizens Alex Pretti and Renee Good by federal agents. In response, President Donald Trump appointed Border Czar Tom Homan to lead Minnesota operations to de-escalate tensions. The Department of Homeland Security dismissed Judge Schiltz as an activist judge, while White House official Stephen Miller characterized the judicial actions as sabotage. Other states, including Maine and Washington, have condemned the federal tactics as unconstitutional.