US judge threatens criminal contempt over alleged ICE order violations

ISTANBUL

The chief federal judge in Minnesota on Thursday threatened to pursue criminal contempt sanctions against federal officials, accusing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of repeatedly failing to comply with court orders in immigration cases.

In a 41-page order, Chief US District Judge Patrick Schiltz said ICE had failed to comply with 210 orders issued in 143 cases across the state.

“One way or another, ICE will comply with this court’s orders,” wrote Schiltz, who was nominated by former President George W. Bush.

The judge cited missed deadlines to release detainees, failures to file required status updates and the transfer of a detainee to Texas despite a court order barring the move.

While acknowledging that federal officials in some previously cited cases had not violated orders, Schiltz said dozens of additional instances of noncompliance had since come to light.

In the ruling, Schiltz referenced a Feb. 9 email from Minnesota’s top federal prosecutor, Daniel N. Rosen, who acknowledged certain errors but disputed the extent of the noncompliance. Rosen declined to comment Thursday. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The ruling comes amid mounting tensions between Minnesota’s federal courts and the Trump administration over immigration enforcement. Two judges on the court recently have held the administration in civil contempt. Criminal contempt sanctions could include fines or imprisonment.