Todd Lyons, acting director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs. Enforcement (ICE), is interviewed on TV on the White House grounds, Monday, Nov. 3, 2025 in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)2026-01-27T13:27:48Z MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (AP) The chief federal judge in Minnesota says the Trump administration has failed to comply with orders to hold hearings for detained immigrants and ordered the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to appear before him Friday to explain why he shouldnt be held in contempt.In an order dated Monday, Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz said Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, must appear personally in court. Schlitz took the administration to task over its handling of bond hearings for immigrants it has detained.This Court has been extremely patient with respondents, even though respondents decided to send thousands of agents to Minnesota to detain aliens without making any provision for dealing with the hundreds of habeas petitions and other lawsuits that were sure to result, the judge wrote. The order comes a day after President Donald Trump order border czar Tom Homan to take over his administrations immigration crackdown in Minnesota following the second death this month of person at the hands of an immigration law enforcement officer. Messages were sent Tuesday to ICE and a DHS spokesperson seeking a response. Respondents have continually assured the Court that they recognize their obligation to comply with Court orders, and that they have taken steps to ensure that those orders will be honored going forward, Schlitz continued in the order. Unfortunately, though, the violations continue. Stay up to date with the news and the best of AP by following our WhatsApp channel. Follow on The judge said he recognizes that ordering the head of a federal agency to appear personally was extraordinary. But the extent of ICEs violation of court orders is likewise extraordinary, and lesser measures have been tried and failed, Schlitz wrote. Schlitzs order lists the petitioner by first name and last initials: Juan T.R. It says the court granted a petition on Jan. 14 from the person to provide him with a bond hearing within seven days. On Jan. 23, the persons lawyers told the court the petitioner remained detained.The order says Schlitz will cancel Lyons appearance if the petitioner is released from custody. ___Catalini reported from Trenton, New Jersey. MIKE CATALINI Catalini covers government, elections and news primarily in New Jersey for The Associated Press. He focuses on accountability and how policy affects people. twitter STEVE KARNOWSKI Karnowski covers politics and government from Minnesota for The Associated Press. He also covers the ongoing fallout from the murder of George Floyd, courts and the environment, among other topics. twitter mailto