Minnesota immigration surge tests courts as orders clash with enforcement

A Minneapolis federal hearing exposed how the Trump administration’s intensified immigration operations have overwhelmed Minnesota prosecutors and judges, with Judge Jerry Blackwell insisting court orders to release detainees must be followed and a Justice Department attorney lamenting the system while volunteering to handle habeas claims amid a surge that has produced hundreds of cases and staffing gaps (Operation Metro Surge). The session also noted ongoing frustrations, including ICE’s apparent noncompliance with court orders and calls for accountability under the law.