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Complaint centers on media remarks

The Trump administration has opened disciplinary proceedings against seven federal judges in Minnesota. The U.S. Department of Justice argued that the judges went beyond ethical bounds in comments they made to The New York Times this month, describing the heavy pressure immigration operations placed on the courts.

At the center of the dispute is Operation Metro Surge, carried out in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area between December and February. The immigration operation reportedly resulted in thousands of arrests and accelerated case flow in federal courts.

What is the Justice Department asking?

Attorney General Todd Blanche said the judges' public comments created the impression of bias against the administration. The complaint therefore asks that the judges named in it recuse themselves from cases linked to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

  • The complaint is based on the claim that the judges violated ethics rules by speaking publicly about matters tied to the cases.
  • The Justice Department says the remarks raise concerns not only about procedure, but also about the appearance of impartiality.

Judges and court management reject the accusations

A spokesperson for Minnesota's federal court system said the judges did nothing wrong. According to the spokesperson, legal experts concluded that the remarks remained within ethical rules.

One of the judges named in the complaint, Patrick Schiltz, had previously raised concerns that court orders tied to immigration enforcement were not being carried out. Schiltz said that in January alone, the government had failed to comply with nearly 100 court orders related to immigration measures.

The case deepens tensions between the judiciary and the administration

The move is seen as the latest flashpoint in the ongoing battle between the Trump administration and the federal judiciary. In recent months, some courts have blocked parts of the president's agenda, while some judges have accused government lawyers of failing to follow court directives.

Schiltz, who was nominated by former Republican President George W. Bush and previously served as a clerk to Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, said the process in Minnesota posed a serious threat to the rule of law. He also noted that a federal judicial ethics guide issued in February allows judges to speak publicly on topics such as the rule of law and judicial independence.

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