A Minnesota federal judge ordered acting ICE director Todd Lyons to show up in court Friday for a contempt hearing for failing to comply with court orders.
Why it matters: U.S. District Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz wrote that "the court's patience is at an end" for dozens of violations from the Trump administration, which this week changed its approach to the immigration effort in the state.
- This isn't the first time the Trump administration has flouted court rulings.
- The White House did not comment.
What's next: Lyons must appear in person on Friday afternoon to "show cause why he should not be held in contempt."
- "The court acknowledges that ordering the head of a federal agency to personally appear is an extraordinary step, but the extent of ICE's violation of court orders is likewise extraordinary, and lesser measures have been tried and failed," Schiltz wrote.
What they're saying: Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin accused the judge of being "more concerned about politics than the safety of the Minnesotans."
- She asked in a statement, "Does this judge really think Director Lyons should take time out of his day leading ICE[...]"
Driving the news: The Trump administration was ordered Jan. 14 to grant a petitioner a bond hearing within seven days or release him from detention.
- On Jan. 23, his counsel notified the court that the petitioner had not received the hearing and remained detained.
Zoom out: "This is one of dozens of court orders with which respondents have failed to comply in recent weeks," Schiltz wrote.
- "The practical consequence of respondents' failure to comply has almost always been significant hardship to aliens (many of whom have lawfully lived and worked in the United States for years and done absolutely nothing wrong)."
Read the full court order:
Go deeper: "It was a mess": Inside Trump's pivot on Minnesota
Editor's note: This story has been updated with comment from the Department of Homeland Security.
