ICE Attorney Pulled from Minnesota After Telling Judge Her Job “Sucks” Amid Immigration Case Backlog

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement attorney assigned to Minnesota during the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement surge has been removed from her post after making blunt remarks in court about overwhelming workloads and repeated failures to comply with judicial orders.

Julie Le, who had been temporarily detailed to help manage immigration cases in the Twin Cities, was sent back to her regular ICE position following a tense exchange with U.S. District Judge Jerry Blackwell. During the hearing, Le admitted the system was overwhelmed, saying staffing shortages and internal delays made it difficult to comply with court rulings.

Le told the judge that trying to fix errors felt like “pulling teeth” and described the workload as exhausting, saying she was working day and night. She acknowledged that the process “sucks,” adding that she was doing everything she could to help detainees and meet court demands.

Judge Blackwell has warned both Le and another government attorney that they could face contempt proceedings due to repeated violations of release orders tied to Operation Metro Surge. The enforcement initiative led to thousands of immigration arrests in Minnesota, drawing sharp criticism from judges and local officials.

The court has cited nearly 100 alleged violations of judicial orders in recent weeks, including delays in releasing detainees who were ruled to be held unlawfully. In one case, a man ordered released remained in custody for nearly two weeks, despite the judge’s directive.

Blackwell emphasized that court orders are not optional, saying lack of staffing or infrastructure does not justify continued detention. Attorneys representing detained immigrants described harsh conditions and prolonged confinement, even after judges ruled they should be freed.

Le also told the court she had considered resigning from the assignment but stayed because she felt responsible for helping secure releases for detainees. She said she had repeatedly pushed ICE leadership to correct mistakes and comply with judicial rulings.

The situation has highlighted mounting pressure inside the federal immigration system, as judges, attorneys, and advocates raise concerns over due process amid the administration’s enforcement push. Officials recently announced a partial scale-back of Operation Metro Surge, though thousands of personnel remain deployed.

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