Federal Judge Criticizes Trump Administration’s Immigration Crackdown
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Federal Judge Criticizes Trump Administration's Immigration Crackdown
- U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz, appointed by President George W. Bush, stated that the Trump administration's "Operation Metro Surge" created "a grave threat to the rule of law" in Minneapolis earlier this year.
- Judge Schiltz, who served as the chief judge for Minnesota's Federal District Court during the operation from December 2025 to February 2026, criticized Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for violating nearly 100 court orders in one month.
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U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz, a George W. Bush appointee and former law clerk for conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, has voiced strong criticism regarding the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota, dubbed “Operation Metro Surge.” The operation, which ran from December 2025 to February 2026, involved the deployment of thousands of federal agents to the Minneapolis-St. Paul area with the stated goal of apprehending and deporting undocumented immigrants.
During “Operation Metro Surge,” federal agents made thousands of arrests, and the operation was marked by widespread protests and legal challenges. Tragically, two U.S. citizens, Renée Good and Alex Pretti, were fatally shot by federal agents during these events, and one person died in ICE custody.
Judge Schiltz, who was the chief federal judge in Minnesota at the time, highlighted that ICE violated nearly 100 court orders in just one month, leading to significant disruption in court proceedings and exacerbating tensions. He emphasized that the extent of these violations was “extraordinary” and that “ICE is not a law unto itself.” The judge had previously ordered the acting director of ICE, Todd Lyons, to appear in court to explain the agency’s non-compliance, though this order was later temporarily rescinded.
Minnesota officials, including Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison, publicly condemned the operation. Attorney General Ellison also joined a coalition of 22 states and the District of Columbia in a lawsuit challenging a new Trump administration “public charge” rule, arguing it would harm immigrants and communities. The Department of Homeland Security’s General Counsel, James Percival, subsequently accused Judge Schiltz of “profound bias” and “extreme misconduct,” alleging he conspired with other judges to impede immigration enforcement. Judge Schiltz assumed senior status on the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota on July 1, 2026.