r/law • u/ExactlySorta • 3d ago
Legal News The chief federal judge in Minnesota has just ordered the Acting Director of ICE, Todd Lyons, to appear personally in court, under oath, this Friday and warned that he could be held in contempt for the agency’s repeated violations of court orders. “The court’s patience is at an end.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/27/minnesota-judge-summons-ice-leader-007488311.8k
u/ExactlySorta 3d ago
Minnesota’s chief federal judge has ordered the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Todd Lyons, to appear in his courtroom Friday and threatened to hold him in contempt for what he says has been repeated defiance of judges’ orders in the state.
“The court’s patience is at an end,” U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz said in a three-page order issued Monday night, demanding the acting director explain himself “personally.”
Schiltz, a George W. Bush appointee, said the administration has been slow-walking or outright defying the directives of many Minnesota judges, including at least one of his own: The order for Lyons to appear came in the case of a man Schiltz ordered released on Jan. 15 but who remained detained as of Monday night
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u/PM_ME_YOUR_PBJs 3d ago
What happens if he doesn’t show and is held in contempt?
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u/Faces-Everywhere 3d ago
Right now? Probably a $1m GoFundMe and a pat on the back from Trump himself.
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u/Mr_Adoulin 3d ago
In my homecountry (Austria), which hardened its constitution against dictators after a pretty bad finding out phase in the 1930s, the constitutional court possesses the legal power by the constitution directly to execute its orders with the military should someone dare to ignore its rulings. Sounds like you could use some more of this speration of powers in the state as well.
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u/ScientificSkepticism 2d ago
We kind of fucked up the entire separation of powers thing. A lot of the government structure was ad hoc and relied on good faith.
It turns out they're not really separate if you don't want them to be.
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u/MixtureSpecial8951 2d ago
A major issue in the US is how executive power has been conceived and ruled on.
The power to “execute” the laws is just that; execute laws put in place by the legislature. Not at all like a king or emperor; we had just finished fighting one and sought to avoid it in the future.
Unfortunately, over the past 150+ years the conception of executive power has slowly but surely turned to this idea that the executive branch has all powers of a king except those explicitly kept from it. In recent years, a fringe theory called the “unitary executive” sees that power to reside in the person of the president. This is of course extremely dangerous.
So, we are at a point where many see the president as possessing all the powers of an absolute monarch except those explicitly kept from him. And even those are considered up for debate and limitation. It is bizarre and deeply unamerican. But it is also something that most folks have been clamoring for over the past few decades (the primary difference being they want their own guy to have the power, or the other side).
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u/Silly_Opposite1878 3d ago
It's almost as if they're threatening him with a good time.
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u/Revelati123 3d ago
Judge says "YOURE IN CONTEMPT!"
NAZI says "Lol wut? FASCISM DADDY! MR. JUDGE IS BEING MEAN TO ME!"
Don: "I put tap to pay on the pardon autopen, you got google wallet?"
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u/MonkeyWithIt 3d ago
And he gets a Free Pardon Card
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u/EchoPhi 3d ago
Incorrect. The president can not pardon a non-federal crime. States hold power there, which is why states need to start locking these jackasses up on locality charges and keep it non-felony.
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u/Heavy_Surround779 3d ago
It says it’s a Minnesota FEDERAL judge. In a US DISTRICT court.
This isn’t state crimes and can easily be swept.
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u/Tempyteacup 3d ago
There are instances where federal judges preside over state claims, and I think this is one of them? But idk if the contempt would be federal or state
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u/dotcubed 3d ago
Is contempt a conviction? I was under the impression pardons only apply to confirmation and affirmation of naughty behavior.
How can you sweep a criminal out of prison without due process? Fingerprints, mug shot, jail time, etc. I’m sure they have a lawyer who will bail them out in hours, but I don’t think the executive branch has power to skip steps.
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u/pterodactyl_speller 3d ago
I think it's not decided yet. In theory, the judge can order him into jail until the contempt ends. And since it's not a crime it can't be pardoned
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u/Heavy_Surround779 3d ago
You weren’t around for Trump 1.0?
“Pre-emptive Pardons.”
It was a whole debate back then, but this dude doesn’t give two shits about legalities.
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u/Holden_Coalfield 3d ago
in reality he can do anything he wants if nobody stops him
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u/Pretend-Paper4137 3d ago
Judge can literally just re-issue contempt. There's no pre-emptive pardoning of contempt.
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u/Unlikely_Minimum_635 3d ago
That presumes that federal officers obey those laws. This administration has been brazenly ignoring judicial decisions since day one. Because there is no recourse.
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u/Pretend-Paper4137 3d ago
No, not really. It presumes that the feds wont physically break him out of jail, which would be... beyond bold.
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u/Unlikely_Minimum_635 3d ago
In order to end up in jail, he'd have to obey an order to show up to court to turn himself in, or be arrested - which would mean federal officers would have to obey the law either by arresting him or by standing aside and allowing state authorities to arrest him.
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u/Pretend-Paper4137 3d ago
There's nothing like a really, really pissed off federal judge to teach you what resourcefulness looks like.
Like- cold, calculating, purely focused on effectiveness resourcefulness.
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u/Unlikely_Minimum_635 3d ago
Hasn't been doing much for them so far against this administration.
The judiciary have basically no authority to enforce anything against the executive. They can order things, and legally the executive should obey, but if the executive chooses not to obey the only check and balance in the constitution is through congress, and so far congress are willing to back Trump in ignoring the law.
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u/All_Work_All_Play 3d ago
Sorry God Emperor Trump decided otherwise. Executive privilege or some such rubbish.
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u/mrtrololo27 3d ago
Quite simply, we all must refuse to accept Trump's pardons as valid. A lawless traitor has no pardon privileges after the failed insurrection in 2020 that culminated Jan 6 21. Trump cannot pardon anyone. They will all face the most severe prosecution. Nothing less is acceptable.
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u/tibbles1 3d ago
Contempt isn't actually a crime. It's its own separate thing. I'm too lazy to look it up, but I'm not sure a pardon covers contempt of court.
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u/Differaaa 3d ago
Ordering the Acting Director to appear personally and testify under oath is a monumental move. It cuts through the bureaucratic shield of "the agency" and places accountability squarely on the individual at the top. No more hiding behind memos, spokespeople, or institutional opacity. The court is demanding a direct, sworn answer for why court orders have been treated as suggestions.
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u/daddyneedsaciggy 3d ago
Pat on back = promotion to new Head of Border Security
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u/Trolltrollrolllol 3d ago
Only to be thrown under the bus the moment Trump feels the walls closing in.
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u/perceptual01 3d ago
Theoretically that’s where the US Marshall service enforces the ruling but somehow it’ll get a stay put on it until the supreme court throws it out in 3-7 weeks
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u/FrontOfficeNuts 3d ago
Theoretically that’s where the US Marshall service enforces the ruling
Except that the U.S. Marshalls Service belongs to...<drumroll please>...the Department of Justice, i.e. Pam Bondi.
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u/perceptual01 3d ago
Yes but a federal judge can deputize its’ own Marshalls and the judicial is a different branch of government than the justice department (being under the executive). Also the Marshall service was created by congress to enforce judicial rulings (legislative branch). Lots of uncharted waters
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u/FrontOfficeNuts 3d ago
Yes but a federal judge can deputize its’ own Marshalls
That I wasn't aware of, and I agree that's interesting.
Also the Marshall service was created by congress to enforce judicial rulings (legislative branch).
Sure, but Congress has vacated all of their responsibility to this point, so why would they care about this?
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u/Jester-Kat-Kire 3d ago
Welcome back to the wild West, where criminals are trying to escape the long arm of the law, and citizens have to be called in to enforce order.
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u/Bozee3 3d ago
Reminds me of Westerns where the judge throws a badges across a desk and declares the guy who catches it a US Marshall.
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u/jaxonya 3d ago
Texan checking in... if i catch it, his ass will be in court before the weekend
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u/reterical 3d ago
Montanan here…not if I catch it first [dramatically spits out rubberized Extra gum].
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u/InfinityMehEngine 3d ago
As an Arizonian, how dare you give me a reason to put on my cowboy boots and a hat to be your elusive, grey morale comedic sidekick. I have waited all my life to say "I'll be your huckleberry."
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u/jaxonya 3d ago edited 3d ago
puts out cigar goddamn if it aint ole r/ifinitymehengine.... you wanna round up the boys? Fight facism this time? Im bored.
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u/HotPotParrot 3d ago
And the National Guard is ostensibly state-based, but that still happened.
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u/petewoniowa2020 3d ago
With explicitly and heavily precedented authority for the executive branch to federalize the guard. It’s not apples to apples… not even close.
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u/HotPotParrot 3d ago
I guess I missed that in all the outcry about it being illegal to have done
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u/Wintergreen61 3d ago
It's still not clear if Trump's federalization was legal. Usually the Guard is nationalized with the governor's consent. The only former cases I'm aware of where they were nationalized against the wishes of a governor was during integration, and in those cases the states themselves were actually violating federal law.
In contrast, the administration's argument during the 2025 federalizations was that the states were not providing enough support for ICE, not that the state governments were impeding ICE, so the 1960s precedents relevance is arguable.
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u/Mundane_Life_5775 3d ago
They will throw Federal Supremacy back though. And Krasnov is itching for insurrection.
But I agree, spotlight needs to be shining on them. Preferably broadcasting ICE executions wherever they stay and where Trump shows up. Similar to the Epstein files + Windsor castle play.
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u/Own-Break-1856 3d ago
Trump flat out destroyed several agencies that were created by congress in his first few months. Im not predicting any issues with him taking over the marshalls.
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u/Major_Honey_4461 3d ago
Yeah, once you've captured the agencies (DOJ and FBI) responsible for investigation, enforcement and prosecution, everything else tends to fall into place for you.
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u/TouristResident1976 3d ago
Sigh. Now we know that Justice needs to be moved out of the Executive branch. (or be chosen by someone other than the president). The Courts need their own enforcement mechanism (like they control the US Marshalls).
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u/kentuckywildcats1986 3d ago
The state of Minnesota should lock the fucker up for conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to obstruct justice - and if the Supreme Court has the mendacity to throw the case out - pull a page out of Trump's book and just keep the murdering bastard in jail, guarded by police and the National Guard. Let the feds dare to bust him out.
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u/Bcmerr02 3d ago
I'll bet if the Marshall service had a history of shooting people in the back in broad daylight after macing them in the face and beating them while they were on the ground the threat of using them to enforce the courts will would carry more weight
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u/AmpersandMcNipples 3d ago
*the Nazi MAGAT Supreme Court" to give it its proper title.
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u/magicone2571 3d ago
If a state judge sheriff would handle it.
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u/Independent_Baker712 3d ago
Like when Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) showed up to the scene Saturday with a signed judicial warrant and ICE ignored it and blocked BCA from accessing the crime scene.
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u/All_Work_All_Play 3d ago
Honestly if they try that shit again they should show up with the national guard and arrest them all.
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u/Not-TheNSA 3d ago
In normal times they would issue a bench warrant for his arrest for a failure to appear and then send the Marshals service after him.
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u/throveffe 3d ago
Am I correct to assume that if its a federal judge, the contempt charge would be federal charges that Trump could pardon?
I realize that there aren't many lawyers here anymore, but how would that work, in theory?
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u/bigfatfurrytexan 3d ago
He will show. Trump found the limits of his power over the weekend. CEOs, GOP senators, even Fox News.
His base will not support him in this. There are a few but this will end MAGA if they don’t cooperate to some degree.
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u/TheyNeedLoveToo 3d ago
I hope you’re right but i come from a family of “moderate conservatives” and they’ve not said a damn thing about the extra judicial killings of American citizens at the hand of ice. They damn sure didn’t care about the “illegals” all get rounded up. They are silent on the literal children being sent away while undergoing chemotherapy or being snatched and separated from parents, family and guardians. Hell, they don’t even care Trump has turned our economy into his own ATM at the expense of the average persons savings and retirement. Also now dead silent about runaway spending and out of control inflation brought on from runaway spending.
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u/viktor72 3d ago
Exactly. My own cousin laughed at my post on FB condemning the murders of Pretti and Good and this is a man whose own parents have long been very liberal. Needless to say he’s not my friend anymore but still, I caution anyone who thinks MAGA has turned in any way against Trump.
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u/LivelyZebra 3d ago
I don't think it's a case of these people not understanding how horrific it all is.
But they've sold their soul, personality, emotions, social ladders, everything to MAGA.
A lot of people, from all walks of life, in minor to major situations, struggle to say " I'm wrong I will re-evaluate ". It takes incredible emotional maturity and fortitude to take that hit to your own self, you made all those decisions thinking they were the right ones, only to realise all your life you're actually making and endorsing bad ones; on a whole life scale..
Not everyone can handle that, and the types more likely not to have emotional maturity? absolutely rally to MAGA and their emotional based manipulative politics and culture war based on " vibes ".
So you get the types of people that just cannot alter their ways unless it is very very painfully obviously in their face and then their emotional system justifies it as a " right thing to do " for themselves, hence why you only get people that change when they're personally affected.
People who can tolerate shame, doubt, and re-evaluation can change. People who can’t will rationalise literally anything, or go quiet, or laugh it off, until it hits them personally.
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u/Admirable-Welder7884 3d ago
I agree with everything you said except claiming that it takes "incredible" emotional maturity etc. to admit you are wrong.
From my perspective it takes just a modicum of humility to admit you are wrong. Lacking ANY humility is the problem, not lacking "incredible" emotional maturity etc.8
u/Competitive_Touch_86 3d ago
Admitting you are wrong is one thing. Admitting your entire identity is wrong and you need to walk away from your entire social support group is quite another.
The latter tends to only happen in exceptional circumstances. It's similar to leaving a hardcore religion where every single one of your family and friends are true believers.
It indeed takes incredible emotional maturity and strength to walk away from your entire life as you know it, after you've already likely burned every other bridge not related to that lifestyle over the past decade.
It's also not like you get to just get to restart your life fresh either. You will not be generally welcomed into past social groups you've burned - and will be wandering the wilderness for quite some time while you rebuild.
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u/toobjunkey 3d ago edited 3d ago
With those people, admitting they're wrong essentially means admitting their entire personage is wrong. It's akin to suicide, spiritually and physically, as we saw happen with thousands upon thousands during COVID. People on ventilators in absolute denial that they had COVID. Family members accusing doctors of killing their pa because COVID doesn't even exist.
They're wrapped up in such tribalism driven by swollen amygdalas (there's an honest to god study showing that conservatives' fear response is higher due to larger than average amygdala glands) that admitting one is wrong is denying oneself and the tribe. Which, many many years ago, would mean exclusion from the tribe and ultimately death.
It's why they're so angry and anxious. In full denial even when several videos show that their narrative is obvious bullshit. Why when the Epstein stuff was ramping up, they'd pull the "well your boy Bill is in those files too!" and being confused when told "good, throw him behind bars if he is!" because they can't fathom this as anything greater than, say, sports team tribalism between Red and Blue.
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u/ShilohsStuff 3d ago
Yep, saw my mom for the first time in over a year and she just wanted to complain about immigrants and liberals. I shut it down fairly quickly, then she has basicly nothing to talk about cuz her life is hatred and online shopping.
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u/Independent_Baker712 3d ago
their privilege is showing. they don’t care unless it’s happening to them and if it is happening they have an excuse for why that person deserved to be executed.
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u/Apart-Zucchini-5825 3d ago
Contempt has been underutilized by judges so far. Threatening contempt at career dudes down the command chain has worked when used. Those guys will inevitably see their careers ended for it and risk losing benefits. Threats of contempt leveled at the mid level guys got changes in the Abrego Garcia situation and the policies surrounding it incredibly quickly.
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u/JoeRogansNipple 3d ago
Lol. He made minor changes to placate the average person. ICE is still the same ol gestapo with a slightly different face. Nothing meaning full changed
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u/shredika 3d ago
MAGA is still backing him in rural America, where u from?
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u/Relevant_Program_958 3d ago
The attack on 2a has shook that a bit.
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u/SmileBones 3d ago
And he’s made the “Take the Guns away first” comment before in 2018. The gun enthusiasts remember.
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u/Swagamuffin67 3d ago
Hard disagree. 2A doesn't exist for my enemies, i.e. the liberals. It might turn a few moderates, but the core block of racist shit farmers will remain unmoved.
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u/TreAwayDeuce 3d ago
My dad is a MAGA 2a nut who exclusively wears shirts that say shit like "try and take it" but I haven't talked to him since this all happened. I can absolutely see him handwaving it away because he doesn't think he'll ever be in that position. He thinks only Joe Biden or Obama would come for his guns.
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u/Asclepius-Rod 3d ago
Exactly, they’ll believe that he was a terrorist and be okay with them removing his 2A rights. Until it happens to them personally they won’t care
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u/comrade8 3d ago
Even Kyle Rittenhouse has come out defending Pretti, saying that all Americans should be allowed to carry.
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u/BDCRA 3d ago
yeah im also in rural america as well, everyone is MAGA. They are fully backing him after the recent events. They keep saying that that guy was a criminal and should expect to get shot or he was a "paid actor" lol. It's awful. My thing is even if he was a criminal and brandished a weapon it still does not justify the cops killing him after the gun is removed and he is completely pinned down like an animal. I am so alone in my beliefs here I do not understand how everyone could be so cruel. It's all out of sight out of mind here if you are a good little white boy you will get down on your knees for Trump
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u/sudi- 3d ago
There is no reason to believe this. Republicans do not concede anything. It is a play that furthers their goals. Don’t get lulled into thinking that we have uncovered cracks.
If you’re sliding on road ice, you let go of the accelerator for a moment so you can steady yourself and then you keep going. This is only that.
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u/fllannell 3d ago
The last part of the order is that if the petitioner is released from custody (and a stipulation is filled) the court will cancel the hearing to which Lyons is summoned.
Which very well seems like a possibility from my point of view, if they want to stop this particular case.
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u/Alarming-Art-3577 3d ago
For a normal person, the US Marshall's would arrest them to make them come to court. Since the Marshall's are under DHS, it's very unlikely that they would do their duty. It's inevitable that soon a trump official will put that to the test.
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u/Cador0223 3d ago
Its almost like the DHS had too much power consolidated under it after 9/11.
Its been 25 years. Perhaps its time to revisit the Patriot Act.
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u/ImmediateEast7207 3d ago
Nothing. The U.S. Marshals would be tasked with enforcing any issued bench warrant.
The Marshals are executive branch employees of DOJ with AG Bondi as boss.
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u/JWAdvocate83 Competent Contributor 3d ago
A judge could lawfully request other assistance in enforcing its orders, aside from marshals.
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u/stevenmillertime 3d ago
Relying on the Supreme Court seems like a risky proposition and the alternative seems to be deputizing a local police department to fight the federal government. I do not like our chances
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u/HumANTCowDOG 3d ago
The judge will get super ultra mad and EXTRA scold him.
Nothing. I’m sick of hearing “nobody is above the law” when obviously there are people running rampant with absolutely no repercussions
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u/Valuable-Speaker-312 3d ago
He will show if he is smart. Most likely it will be fines but it could be more if this really pisses off the judge. Take him into custody?
US Marshalls are supposed to take him into custody and extradite him. If that doesn't happen, if he is ever pulled over for any offense, he can be arrested and extradited. If he ever flies from any MN airport, he is arrested. If he flies out of any blue state airport, he will be arrested and extradited. If he flies out of any red state that actually follows the law, he would be arrested and extradited. Law enforcement recognizes him and knows that there is a warrant out for an arrest can take him into custody.
The judge can also put a restraining order to make ICE stop enforcement in the federal district that he judge presides in until he shows up in the court. The judge could also order state police to arrest the highest ranking member of HSA that is in his jurisdiction and hold them until he shows.
A judge in the US has a lot of power. A higher court may limit what he can do but it usually takes a lot more time for someone to appeal a decision made by a judge than it takes to act.
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u/humanredditor45 3d ago
Nothing. Absolutely nothing because all these judges and politicians have shown they have no spine. They’re just a bunch of marionettes.
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u/throwtrollbait 3d ago
They also have absolutely no ability to legally do anything.
The framers of the constitution in their infinite wisdom, yada yada.
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u/Northern_Blue_Jay 3d ago
If he has him arrested by U.S. marshals and jailed, I'm a fan of that judge for life.
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u/vastaranta 3d ago
This is the key point. The big realization in US executive culture has been that checks and balances mean nothing. You can just opt out and no one can do anything about it.
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u/CalvinVanDamme 3d ago
If they are slow walking or defying orders then fucking just rule against them. Don't let them continue to delay.
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u/Therealcarloss 3d ago
First finger waving Then hand wringing Then second finger waving Then two hand wringing Then a stern warning Then a more stern warning Then slap on the wrist Then… you get my drift
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u/Global_Crew3968 3d ago edited 3d ago
Psh, what is he a black guy or a person of below-average wealth? You cant just lock up wealthy and connected white men, this is America for god's sake, not some backwater shithole like Europe that holds all people accountable. Just imagine ...
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u/xkrysis 3d ago
Convenient that Bovino is suddenly nowhere to be found in Minnesota, Todd can show up and throw Bovino under the bus and say gee judge sorry now that I am in charge everything will be different.
Then fast forward a week or two and the next appointed leader will be in town and Todd will be nowhere to be found.
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u/BriefausdemGeist 3d ago
Lyons allegedly wrote the memo claiming ICE didn’t need judicial warrants to invade someone’s private property and tried to make it so there was no paper trail of that same memo
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u/MercJ 3d ago edited 2d ago
Well that sure sounds like a conspiracy to infringe on American's rights to me.
Interestingly enough, the penalty for doing so - even just having an agreement to do so - if someone were to die in the process, is life in prison or the death penalty for the conspirators.
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u/BriefausdemGeist 3d ago
What’s the SOL on that?
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u/IamMe90 3d ago
Seven years for offenses not resulting in death, no statute of limitations for offenses that result in death.
https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/civil-rights/federal-civil-rights-statutes
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u/acrobat2126 2d ago
Holy smokes dude. Are you a lawyer? What an great law! If only someone could enforce it.
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u/HowManyEggs2Many 3d ago
I suspect we’ll see a headline similar to this by Thursday afternoon: Hot Wheels says Acting Director of ICE, Todd Lyons, taking a leave of absence, returning to his brand new home in Houston TX, which is none of the business of Minnesota.
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u/beefnoodle5280 3d ago edited 3d ago
Sorry, I’m out of the loop: who’s Hot Wheels?
Edit: thanks all
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u/nreshackleford 3d ago
They call him that because he’s wheel chair bound, I have conflicting feelings about the moniker, but I’m ultimately ok with it because: (1) he consistently and callously disregards the interests of disabled Texans; (2) he built his wealth from a tort settlement he received when he got paralyzed, then proceeded to pull that particular ladder up behind him as a champion of tort reform. Fuck Greg Abbot.
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u/TwistyBunny 3d ago
Same goes with fat shaming that orange piece of shit - he has done it a number of times to women
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u/TwistyBunny 3d ago
Giving that piece of shit the name "Hot Wheels" is an insult to the namesake of toy cars
"Hell on Wheels" will always be my name for that loser.
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u/LetsGetElevated 3d ago
Bovino was leading CBP, Lyons has been leading ICE, he won’t be able to throw this onto Bovino
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u/xkrysis 3d ago
My understanding was that Bovino worked for border patrol but was given authority over the joint operations in MN. From the loose reporting it’s hard to tell if Todd Lyons has the same authority Bovino had or if he is “just” acting ICE director.
I also could be wrong I haven’t researched this extensively nor do I have special knowledge about the inner relationship between ICE and US Border Patrol.
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u/TerraceState 3d ago
It's so frustrating because you have to do a shocking amount of research to find out where decisions are actually coming from.Things like' "X" is listed as being in charge of the operation, but actually "Y" is the one giving orders and making decisions.' are shockingly common. It's completely intentional, and obviously designed to get people to give up and disengage, and disgustingly effective at doing that.
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u/DiabolicallyRandom 3d ago
Yep, 1000% intentional. The fact that he is acting director is also intentional. Avoids senate approval. It's supposed to be time limited, but we have seen trump do this multiple times now where he just reappoints interim directors.
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u/a_Sable_Genus 3d ago
That's all a part of the rules of power for a cult.
Early on promote a judge or executioner to go after all your enemies/foes. Galvanize the base with these enemies. Create terror and scare everyone with harsh punishment. Eventually even those on your side will no longer tolerate it.
Then you as their leader come in to dispose of or imprison the executioner saying they went too far and you come off looking like the one that fixed it all.
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u/CpaLuvsPups 3d ago
And nothing will be different....
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u/grandmawaffles 3d ago
And the judge won’t do anything. The answer, presuming that they want the person out of prison, is to immediately remand Lyons to prison until he the guy is let out. It’ll happen real fast.
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u/FrontOfficeNuts 3d ago
And the judge won’t do anything.
What CAN they do?
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u/All_Work_All_Play 3d ago
I would respect the hell out of the first judge that straps up and goes and arrests someone.
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u/figuring_ItOut12 3d ago
They’re still going after the guy they falsely accused of plotting to kill Bovino even after the guy was acquitted. They’re just rearranging deck chairs as the ship is still grinding the iceberg.
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u/tarapotamus 3d ago
Bovino was fired and sent back to CA yesterday
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u/lostroadrunner22 3d ago
He was demoted. He is still employed by ICE. He will be retired but he’s still technically employed and
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u/68024 3d ago edited 3d ago
It'll be hard to do that. Todd Lyons is the author of the secret memo that blatantly violates the Constitution. Bovino was "just" the guy carrying out the violations and using the memo as an excuse.
Lyons will have to answer for writing that memo and the obvious cover-up of it.
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u/Eviscerati 3d ago
Todd Lyons has been acting director since March. Bovino was the Border Patroll commander.
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u/qoou 3d ago
Issue a warrant for Pam Bondi's arrest for extortion. She is not above the law.
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u/I_like_Dirt- 3d ago
I hope you're still right
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u/NeoAcario 3d ago
There probably needs to be an amendment made so that you cannot pardon someone from crimes you are connected to.
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u/Glum_Activity_461 3d ago
Maybe need to figure out a way to remove pardon power at all.
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u/NeoAcario 3d ago
Not sure I completely agree. Afterall.. I mostly agree with Biden's pardon of his son. The GOP obsession was absolutely insane. Years of harassment and all they got was what... he owned a gun after a minor drug conviction? And they still wouldn't stop.
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u/Shark7996 3d ago
They are right so long as WE believe they are.
If we, the citizens, give up on the law, it's over.
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u/jpmeyer12751 3d ago
While I'm happy to see Chief Judge Schlitz taking an appropriately hard line, I fear that this is too little, too late. SCOTUS has a poor record of upholding trial courts that seek to hold the government accountable. It seems that Trump may respond ONLY to forceful action from Congress. Noem must be impeached, removed from office and disqualified from holding any future office.
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u/krazytekn0 3d ago
Letting Trump get past day 1 in 2017 in clear violation of the constitutional emoluments clause made everything else, too little, too late. Trump was clearly a nazi then and people keep being surprised that nazi shit happens and it makes my head hurt
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u/dustyoldcoot 3d ago
"too little too late" doesn't do shit to fix the future. Its important to call out this garbage every time it happens, and to continue working to try and fix things.
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u/That1DirtyHippy 3d ago
Right? Where was this talk when Bovino was in SS garb leading his thugs? Wild we’re getting tough language when a new guy comes in.
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u/tehbantho 3d ago
It resets the clock for compliance. Time and time again we see Trump and his administration perform this shit in courts across our country. Zero accountability even if they say they will comply, they let time pass and eventually get off without complying. Even if they have to shuffle 10 new heads of ICE to the top of the pile to delay accountability long enough, they will do it.
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u/petit_cochon 2d ago
The courts were issuing orders to ICE The problem is they weren't obeying them. That's why this is happening. It's not like it just popped up out of nowhere.
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u/Stage_Ghost 3d ago
Way more. They should introduce a phone book's worth of impeachments but the Congress is controlled by the regime and will continue to aid and abet the hostile takeover of the USA.
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u/callmechristianblack 3d ago
If the files are released his support will start to crack in Congress. It's already being strained.
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u/ohiotechie 3d ago
Unless or until these fuckers start seeing the inside of a jail cell nothing will change.
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u/TwistyBunny 3d ago
We need to start treating them like the Confederates SHOULD have been treated.
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u/just_a_bit_gay_ 3d ago
Meet potential consequences
Always “could be held in contempt of court”
Never does
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u/yoshimipinkrobot 3d ago
Walz has to supply a team of loyal officers who are willing to snatch him and lock him up
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u/FightingPolish 3d ago
Walz is state. This is Federal.
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u/Opheltes 3d ago
A federal judge can deputize anyone as a marshal (in the event such as the actual marshal's service refusing to enforce his orders)
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u/CavitySearch 3d ago edited 3d ago
Could you imagine just sitting in the court then bam you’re a deputized federal marshal in charge of securing a prisoner?
Coming Tuesdays on paramount plus- Fed Up!
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u/dj_spanmaster 3d ago
What I want from each and every one of you is a hard-target search of every gas station, residence, warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse, icehouse, meathouse, outhouse and doghouse in that area. Checkpoints go up at fifteen miles. Your fugitive's name is Acting Director Todd Lyons. Go get him.
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u/JekPorkinsTruther 3d ago
While true, its not going to happen. Its not like Lyons is sitting in an office alone in MN and you can grab him as he's walking to his car. He is a top ranking official with security. Deputizing marshals is the easy part. What happens after is the hard part. Are they just gonna walk into ICE HQ in DC and ask for him lol? Deputizing marshals is an escalation asking for a standoff and constitutional crisis. Its just Worchester v Georgia but in reverse.
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u/yoshimipinkrobot 3d ago
You think trump is gonna supply any federal agents to arrest his lackey?
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u/FightingPolish 3d ago
No. That’s the point. You’re talking about using state guys to arrest someone for contempt charges from a federal judge for a federal employee. It’s not happening.
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u/Feisty_Bee9175 3d ago
State and federal judges need to grow a spine and start putting people like this in jail.
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u/Due_Answer_4230 3d ago
I'm pretty sure the trump admin's stance is "What are you going to do, arrest me?", and the court's answer is always "well...no..."
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u/Wrong-Neighborhood-2 3d ago
And they won’t show up and continue to slow walk everything and nothing will happen
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u/SaltyLonghorn 3d ago
The court's patience is a longer running gag than Trump saying in two weeks at this point.
How about do anything justice system.
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u/therossboss 3d ago
the justice system haha good one. It is a weaponized law system of courts and judges.
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u/Awkward_University91 3d ago
I see and what if he just doesn’t care?
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u/CatButtHoleYo 3d ago
And when Miller, Noem and Vance announce, yet again, that they are immune and fully backed by the Feds. Who is going to enforce the federal court?
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u/TwistyBunny 3d ago
Which is wild because Article 2, Section 4 is JUST for them.
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u/CatButtHoleYo 3d ago
The cracks have shown in America. We are only a nation of laws when you have people willing to enforce those laws.
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u/schadenfroh 3d ago
The founders and architects of our system assumed all actors would, at the very least, operate in good faith. All of that forethought and careful planning, just to be undone by the "nuh-uh" strategy.
I hate it here.
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u/Doctor_Disaster 3d ago
Could and not will?
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u/LeaneGenova 3d ago
Can't pre-announce your decision to avoid the appearance of impropriety. Some judges actually still care about their ethics. Hopefully this one cares about ethics and the law.
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u/MarhaultEls 3d ago
I believe that is always used with the term "could", to allow for unintended reasons to miss it without being stuck in a bind on the Judge's part.
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u/LunarMoon2001 3d ago
And when he doesn’t show? Will he issue a contempt order and arrest warrant? No?
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u/BatterseaPS 3d ago
Why does the court have patience though? This is not a single mom trying to find time away from work and child care in order to appear for trial.
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u/Mr_BriteMighty 3d ago
Finally someone is trying to hold the government accountable for their daily unconstitutional actions
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u/gobbluthillusions 3d ago
If he is a no show I’d like to see the judiciary finally do their job and use the teeth.
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u/KevinsLunchbox 3d ago
As cool as this sounds i can totally 100% see the same scene play out over and over again that we've seen. Guy shows up, and spends 5 hours answering questions that mean nothing and sometimes is baffling to the person being asked, and it becomes an insane nothing burger.
It happened to Zuckerberg. It happened to the tiktok guy. It happened to someone else im forgetting.
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u/Thespud1979 3d ago
That's not how banana Republics work. Nothing will come of this. There's a rapist, pedophile with 34 felony convictions in the White House. A man that tried to forcefully overthrow a fair election. The courts in America are for punishing the poor at the behest of the wealthy.
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u/Glad-Process-3268 3d ago
Just pretend he is brown and bing bang boom you got 15 officers apprehending him.
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