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Minnesota ICE operations challenged in court
The federal government has until Wednesday to respond to a legal challenge to the ICE operations in Minnesota.FOX 9’s Bill Keller reports.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A federal judge is accusing ICE of denying detainees due process, and is demanding to hear from the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in court to explain why.
ICE head to appear in court
What we know:
In a court order on Monday, Judge Patrick J. Schiltz said ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons must appear in court on Friday in Minneapolis, stating the Trump administration has failed to comply with orders to hold hearings for immigrants who are detained.
Lyons is expected to explain why he shouldn't be held in contempt.
Todd Lyons, acting director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), participates in a television interview outside the White House on November 3, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP) (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP v …
The judge wrote in part, "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."
The judge also wrote: "Respondents have continually assured the Court that they recognize their obligation to comply with Court orders, and that they have taken steps to ensure that those orders will be honored going forward. Unfortunately, though, the violations continue."
The federal government has the rest of the week to free the detainee connected to this case ahead of the hearing, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday in Minneapolis. The court granted the detainee's petition on Jan. 14, but on Jan. 23 the petitioner remained detained, according to their lawyer.
As of this writing, ICE and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security have yet to respond to the order, according to court records.
The backstory:
This order comes a day after President Donald Trump ordered White House Border Czar Tom Homan to take over Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota days after federal agents were involved in a second fatal shooting in January.
Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino and some federal agents are expected to leave Minnesota on Tuesday.