A Minnesota judge has taken the extraordinary step of ordering the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to face court and explain why his agency keeps ignoring court orders.

Declaring his "court's patience is at an end", Judge Patrick Schiltz said ICE acting director Todd Lyons must appear in person to give reasons 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," the judge wrote.

The case is playing out as the Trump administration responds to public backlash over mass-deportation operations in the Midwestern state, where two protesters have been killed by federal agents in separate recent incidents.

It also highlights an ongoing power struggle between the US courts and immigration authorities, which have been criticised by multiple judges for ignoring orders to afford due process to detained migrants.

The Trump administration frequently argues those judges are biased activists.

Mr Schiltz, who is Minnesota's chief federal judge, said ICE and the Department of Homeland Security had failed to comply with dozens of court orders in recent weeks.

His decision to order Mr Lyons to appear was prompted by ICE's refusal to follow a previous court order, issued on January 14, to either grant an immigration court hearing to an Ecuadorian detainee or release him.

"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 set a hearing for Friday, local time.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-28/minnesota-judge-orders-ice-head-to-face-court/106276814

The judge should have also ordered Gregory Bovino to appear in his Court. Bovino deserves to be in prison.

American taxpayer Fed up  With paying billions of dollars to illegal Somali Daycare centres

Armchair_Politician wrote on Jan 28^th, 2026 at 8:51am:

The judge should have also ordered Gregory Bovino to appear in his Court. Bovino deserves to be in prison.

Bovino will end up in a Minnesota Correctional Facility possibly in Stillwater

https://i.imgur.com/9AHLN61.jpeg

Marla wrote on Jan 28^th, 2026 at 9:06am:

Armchair_Politician wrote on Jan 28th, 2026 at 8:51am: The judge should have also ordered Gregory Bovino to appear in his Court. Bovino deserves to be in prison. Bovino will end up in a Minnesota Correctional Facility possibly in Stillwater

I hope so.

That's where that evil little Nazi belongs (for the rest of his life).

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G_n4cX8XYAAdJ4M.jpg

Fed up, is he? ICE is currently covering up two Minnesota murders and the kidnapping of a 5 year old boy.

I'd say contempt of court is the least of the possible charges.

You?

aquascoot wrote on Jan 28^th, 2026 at 8:52am:

American taxpayer Fed up  With paying billions of dollars to illegal Somali Daycare centres

That’s pocket change compared to what Noem has illegally spent on private jets and misusing funds that had already been allocated by Congress for other uses. Once funds have been appropriated by Congress, the Secretary has no legal right to use it for anything other than its intended use whatsoever and to do so is illegal and a federal crime.