Federal judge orders ICE chief to appear in court over alleged denial of detainees' due process

"The extent of IC'’s violation of court orders is likewise extraordinary, and lesser measures have been tried and failed," Judge Patrick J. Schiltz wrote

By Natalia Mittelstadt
Published: January 27, 2026 11:40am

A federal judge has ordered acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons to appear in court over detained illegal immigrants allegedly not receiving hearings.

Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz, for the District of Minnesota, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, on Monday ordered Lyons to personally appear in court over the Trump administration's handling of bond hearings for detained illegal immigrants, according to the Associated Press.

“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,” Schiltz wrote.

The judge acknowledged that ordering the head of a federal agency to appear personally is extraordinary, burt said "the extent of ICE’s violation of court orders is likewise extraordinary, and lesser measures have been tried and failed.”

“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,” Schiltz wrote. “Unfortunately, though, the violations continue.”

The order lists the petitioner as Juan T.R. According to the order, the court granted a petition on Jan. 14 from the petitioner to provide him with a bond hearing within seven days. On Jan. 23, the plaintiff's lawyers told the court that their client remained detained.

The order says Schiltz will cancel Lyons’ appearance if the detainee is released from custody.

ICE and the Department of Homeland Security didn't immediately respond to the AP's requests for comment on Tuesday.

https://justthenews.com/government/c...es-due-process