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A federal judge in Minnesota has issued a stern rebuke to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, revealing that the agency has defied 96 court orders across 74 different cases in January 2026 alone. Chief Judge Patrick Schiltz, appointed by President George W. Bush, delivered the sharp criticism in a written order, stating that ICE has violated more court orders this month than some federal agencies have throughout their entire existence.
The confrontation escalated earlier this week when ICE failed to release an illegal immigrant named Juan Tobay Robles, whom the court had ordered freed. Judge Schiltz threatened to compel ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons to testify personally about the agency’s compliance problems unless the release was executed. ICE subsequently notified the court that Robles had been released, but Judge Schiltz made clear the matter was far from resolved.
To document the scope of noncompliance, Judge Schiltz instructed federal judges across Minnesota to compile cases where ICE had similarly defied court orders. The results revealed a troubling pattern, with most violations involving release orders similar to the Robles case. The judge emphasized that ICE is not above the law and must follow court orders unless they are officially overturned or vacated, though the agency retains the right to challenge such orders through proper legal channels.
The widespread defiance stems from an aggressive immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota, where thousands of federal officers have been deployed. Through January 19, the operation resulted in more than 3,000 arrests. In response, attorneys have rapidly filed over 400 habeas corpus petitions in Minnesota this month alone, challenging the detention of migrants through these narrow but powerful legal mechanisms.
Federal judges have proven overwhelmingly receptive to these petitions, frequently ordering either the immediate release of detained migrants or mandating bond hearings. However, court records document numerous instances where ICE has been sluggish in executing these court-ordered releases and hearings, prompting Judge Schiltz’s intervention.
In his earlier ruling, Judge Schiltz criticized the government for being unprepared to handle the legal consequences of its immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota. The judge warned that future noncompliance could result in Acting Director Lyons being summoned to testify before the court. The Washington Times has requested comment from the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE operations.
Read more: ICE has violated 96 court orders in Minnesota; judge warns of danger to ’rule of law’
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