US Justice Department files misconduct complaint against Minnesota judges

The United States Justice Department has lodged a misconduct complaint against seven federal judges in Minnesota after they spoke publicly about the strain placed on their courts during President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.

The judges had discussed their experiences with The New York Times this month, describing how their courts were overwhelmed with cases during Operation Metro Surge, an immigration enforcement operation that resulted in thousands of arrests in the Minneapolis-St Paul area between December and February.

The Justice Department argues that the judges breached ethical boundaries by commenting publicly on these cases. Attorney General Todd Blanche claimed the judges had demonstrated clear bias against the administration and urged them to recuse themselves from any cases involving the Department of Homeland Security. He said that when judges appear to breach ethical codes while also showing bias, authorities are compelled to respond.

The judges maintain they acted appropriately. A spokesperson for Minnesota's federal court system said legal experts had concluded the judges remained within ethical guidelines when speaking to the newspaper.

This complaint marks the latest episode in ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and the judiciary, which has halted several of the president's policies and in multiple instances accused government lawyers of disregarding court rulings.

One of the judges named, Patrick Schiltz, has alleged that the government failed to comply with almost 100 court orders tied to immigration enforcement during January alone.