A federal court hearing set for Friday is shaping up as a crucial test of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown in Minnesota, with a judge weighing whether to punish Immigration and Customs Enforcement leadership for alleged defiance of court orders while challenges to a major enforcement surge multiply.
Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz has ordered Todd Lyons, acting ICE director, to appear in person and explain why the agency has not complied with orders in at least one detention case.
In a sharply worded filing, Schiltz warned he is considering contempt after what he described as repeated government assurances that did not end the violations.
"This court has been extremely patient with respondents, even though respondents decided to send thousands of agents to Minnesota to detain aliens without making any provision for dealing with the hundreds of habeas petitions and other lawsuits that were sure to result," Schiltz wrote. "The court's patience is at an end."
The immediate spark was the case of an immigration detainee whose lawyers said ICE missed a court deadline for a bail hearing or release.
In a development that could narrow the dispute, immigration authorities released the man from custody, raising questions about whether the order compelling Lyons' appearance will still be enforced or reframed around broader compliance issues.
Even if the underlying case changes, the stakes extend far beyond one detainee.
Minnesota officials and civil rights groups have mounted a wave of legal challenges to Operation Metro Surge, a sweeping deployment of federal immigration personnel in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.
State Attorney General Keith Ellison, joined by Minneapolis and St. Paul, filed suit this month seeking to halt the operation, arguing it violates constitutional limits and improperly pressures local governments.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota has also filed litigation alleging unlawful stops and arrests, including claims of racial profiling.
Federal officials have defended the operation as lawful immigration enforcement and say they are targeting public safety threats, while using the surge to emphasize tougher detention and removal policies nationwide.
Friday's hearing lands amid heightened tension after deadly encounters involving federal officers.
In one case, Minnesota authorities went to court seeking an order to prevent federal agencies from altering or destroying evidence tied to the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order requiring preservation of evidence while the dispute plays out, with state officials arguing federal agents blocked customary investigative steps.
Against that backdrop, Schiltz's contempt warning puts the judiciary's enforcement power on the line.
A contempt finding can carry penalties and court-mandated corrective steps. It can also signal that judges will tighten oversight of detention practices, court deadlines, and the government's representations to the bench.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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