In a rare and scathing move, Minnesota’s Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz has issued a final warning to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and ICE: Start following court orders immediately, or prepare for criminal contempt charges.
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The friction began after “Operation Metro Surge”—a massive immigration enforcement action—flooded the court system with cases. The government, however, has struggled to keep up, leading to what Judge Schiltz describes as a historic level of noncompliance.
- The Violations: The court identified over 200 instances where federal agencies ignored deadlines or release orders.
- The Rejection: When U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen attempted to dispute the numbers, Schiltz responded by releasing an even more detailed list of 113 additional violations.
- The Staffing Crisis: The U.S. Attorney’s office has reportedly seen its prosecutor count drop from 64 down to 36, leaving the remaining staff buried under the surge of litigation.
Why it’s Significant
It is highly unusual for a federal judge—especially one with Schiltz’s conservative-leaning reputation—to publicly rebuke the Department of Justice in this manner. He clarified that this isn’t about the politics of immigration, but about the basic integrity of the law.
“One way or another, ICE will comply with this Court’s orders,” Schiltz stated, signaling that the court’s patience has officially run out.
