Major Blow For Trump After ICE Found In Contempt Of Court For Violating Order

A Minnesota judge has called out the Trump administration for violating court orders while cracking down on illegal immigration in the state. U.S. District Judge Eric Tostrud held the government in civil contempt for failing to comply with the release order of Fernando Torres, a Mexican national detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

After Torres was taken into custody by federal agents in Minnesota, he filed a habeas corpus petition claiming ICE had misclassified him. On January 20, Tostrud issued a restraining order barring ICE from transferring Torres to another state.

While officials assured the court that they were complying with the order, Torres was transferred to Texas on January 22. ICE officials did not even inform the man's attorney about his transfer. When the matter was brought before the court again, Tostrud ordered Torres's release within 48 hours and directed ICE to return him to Minnesota.

But according to the court documents, ICE released Torres in the desert in El Paso, Texas without his personal belongings. The government’s attorney argued that officials were ready to move Torres back to Minnesota, but a canceled flight due to the winter storm prevented the transfer.

Government lawyers said since the release had to take place within 48 hours of the order, they decided to set him free in Texas. However, the court ruled that the cancellation of a flight does not justify the violation of court orders.

Tostrud, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, wrote in his order, “To the extent Respondents imply that a canceled flight, a winter snowstorm, or haste to comply with the Court's January 24, 2026 Order directing Fernando's release excuse their contempt, these asserted justifications do not support an inability to comply with the January 20 Order.”

Torres’ lawyer eventually had to pay for his return flight and bring him back to Minnesota. The court has now ordered the government to pay Fernando's return airfare of $568.29 to his attorney.

“I find that Respondents' conduct constitutes civil contempt, and Respondents (as defined herein) are jointly and severally liable for compensatory civil contempt sanctions for airfare costs Fernando incurred because of the violation,” the judge noted.

It has not been revealed why Torres was detained in the first place. But he is one of the many individuals whose release orders were ignored by ICE during Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota. A similar case came to light when another U.S. District Judge, Laura Provinzino, held a DOJ lawyer in contempt after the government failed to return identification documents of Rigoberto Soto Jimenez, a previously released immigrant.

The judge ordered a $500 fine for Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Isihara beginning February 20 until the documents were returned.

Minnesota Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz, earlier stated that ICE had violated court order 96 times in a single month. After thousands of arrests and multiple deaths, Operation Metro Surge ended earlier in February.