{"id":2673878,"date":"2026-10-01T12:04:39","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T16:04:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/utm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaigndoj-brings-complaint-against-minnesota-judges-for-pandering-to-nyt-about-deportations\/"},"modified":"2026-10-01T12:08:24","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T16:08:24","slug":"utm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaigndoj-brings-complaint-against-minnesota-judges-for-pandering-to-nyt-about-deportations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/utm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaigndoj-brings-complaint-against-minnesota-judges-for-pandering-to-nyt-about-deportations\/","title":{"rendered":"DOJ Files Complaint Against Judges For &#8216;Pandering&#8217; To NYT About ICE"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Futm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaigndoj-brings-complaint-against-minnesota-judges-for-pandering-to-nyt-about-deportations%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2673878&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a misconduct complaint against several Minnesota-based federal judges for publicly discussing ongoing cases involving ICE deportation operations, which the DOJ claims violates their ethical duties and undermines judicial impartiality. The complaint focuses on a september 17 article in The New York Times, where judges, including Senior District Judge Patrick Schiltz, criticized the Trump administration\u2019s handling of immigration cases, allegedly coordinating and sharing strategies publicly. while the judges admitted to consulting wiht each other and using templates to respond efficiently to detention issues, the DOJ argues that their comments amounted to improper political statements and calls for recusal in immigration cases. The DOJ has requested an examination by the 8th Circuit\u2019s Judicial Council into the judges&#8217; conduct, citing concerns over their perceived bias and pursuit of publicity. The article provides details on the judges&#8217; interactions, their dialog strategies, and expert opinions highlighting the implications of their actions.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-body body-md bdr-top-black pt-30\">\n<div class=\"row justify-content-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12\">\n<figure class=\"article-thumbnail mb-30 mb-sm-60\">\n<div class=\"article-thumbnail-caption d-flex align-items-center justify-content-md-end label-xs mt-15\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-camera me-10\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Image Credit<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:US_Border_Patrol_Makes_Stop_in_Minneapolis_(55044924570).jpg\">Chad Davis\/Wikimedia Commons\/<a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/deed.en\">CC BY 4.0<\/a>       <\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-share text-center article-share-simple\">\n<h5 class=\"label-sm mb-10\">Share<\/h5>\n<ul class=\"article-share-list list-unstyled m-0 p-0\">\n<li class=\"article-share-facebook m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/10\/01\/doj-brings-complaint-against-minnesota-judges-for-pandering-to-nyt-about-deportations\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-facebook\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Facebook<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-twitter m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=DOJ Brings Complaint Against Minnesota Judges For \u2018Pandering\u2019 To NYT About Deportations&#038;url=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/10\/01\/doj-brings-complaint-against-minnesota-judges-for-pandering-to-nyt-about-deportations\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-twitter\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Twitter<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-truth-social m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/share?title=DOJ Brings Complaint Against Minnesota Judges For \u2018Pandering\u2019 To NYT About Deportations&#038;url=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/10\/01\/doj-brings-complaint-against-minnesota-judges-for-pandering-to-nyt-about-deportations\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"currentColor\" style=\"width:36px;height:auto;\" viewbox=\"0 0 92 93\"><path d=\"M69.444 55.716H56.772v10.37h12.672zM64.487 37.795V27.32H38.666v38.664h13.18v-28.19zM21.05 27.321h12.653v10.471H21.051z\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/><\/svg>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Truth Social<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-link m-0\">       <button data-clipboard-text=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/10\/01\/doj-brings-complaint-against-minnesota-judges-for-pandering-to-nyt-about-deportations\/\" data-tooltip-content=\"Copied!\" class=\"clip tooltip\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-link-variant\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Copy Article Link<\/span>       <\/button>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-email m-0\">       <a href=\"mailto:?subject=DOJ Brings Complaint Against Minnesota Judges For \u2018Pandering\u2019 To NYT About Deportations&#038;body=%20https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/10\/01\/doj-brings-complaint-against-minnesota-judges-for-pandering-to-nyt-about-deportations\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-email\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article via Email<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-email m-0\"><span class=\"printfriendly pf-button  pf-alignleft\">                     <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/thefederalist.com\/#\" rel=\"nofollow\" onclick=\"window.print(); pfTrackEvent(&#039;DOJ Brings Complaint Against Minnesota Judges For \u2018Pandering\u2019 To NYT About Deportations&#039;); return false;\" title=\"Printer Friendly, PDF &#038; Email\">                     <span id=\"printfriendly-text2\" class=\"pf-button-text\"><i class=\"mdi mdi-printer\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/span>                     <\/a>                 <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"pf-content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Department of Justice filed a judicial misconduct complaint on Wednesday against several Minnesota-based federal judges for \u201cpander[ing]\u201d to legacy media about ICE operations in the state. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSeven federal judges in the District of Minnesota talked to the New York Times about cases, some of which are on-going, in a manner that the Department of Justice views as a clear violation of their ethical duties,\u201d Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/justice-department-files-judicial-misconduct-complaint-alleging-mn-judges-made-improper-and\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">statement<\/a>. \u201cTheir conduct has undermined public confidence in an impartial judiciary in Minnesota.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-3908266071\" class=\"d-flex justify-content-center fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2 fdrlst__b89e9-entity-placement\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1463670073398-0\" class=\"mb-30\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/media\/1463401\/dl?inline\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">complaint<\/a> addressed to 8th Circuit Court of Appeals Chief Judge Steven Colloton takes to task a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/09\/17\/us\/politics\/minnesota-judge-trump-immigration.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sept. 17 Times article<\/a>, in which Senior District Judge Patrick Schiltz and his colleagues bashed the Trump administration\u2019s handling of cases involving its January 2026 deportation operations in the North Star State. The Times dutifully framed the judges\u2019 remarks as a concerted effort by the government to \u201cdefy\u201d federal judges, but even Schiltz conceded that \u201cmost, if not all\u201d of the alleged noncompliance \u201cwas due to incompetence\u201d and \u201cnot due to conscious defiance of orders<em>.<\/em>\u201c<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Equally notable about the Times article, however, is the apparent admission that these judges coordinated with one another on ICE-related cases being filed before them. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Times noted how they \u201crecalled seeking one another\u2019s counsel, meeting regularly and consulting in running email threads\u201d as the \u201cnumber of cases ramped up.\u201d While \u201csome of their clerks made an informal spreadsheet showing whom to consult on particular legal questions,\u201d some judges \u201cbuilt templates of legal orders so they could respond quickly to some of the detention issues that were arising again and again,\u201d according to the outlet. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">South Texas College of Law Houston Professor Josh Blackman further <a href=\"https:\/\/reason.com\/volokh\/2026\/09\/17\/seven-federal-judges-from-minnesota-talk-to-the-n-y-times-about-trump-administration\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">observed<\/a> in Reason magazine how the judges seemingly admitted to eagerly clinging to their electronic devices, ready to respond to any potential petitions contesting the government\u2019s operations. When it came to the DOJ\u2019s \u201cask[ing] for an immediate ruling on an arrest warrant,\u201d however, Blackman noted how \u201cJudge Schiltz said it would have to wait till next week after he could consult with his colleagues.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou see District Court judges are omnipotent and agile, unless they need to first convene in panels to decide how to deal with Trump stuff,\u201d Blackman surmised. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Citing Schiltz and Co.\u2019s comments to the Times, the DOJ argued in its complaint that judges \u201care ethically prohibited from commenting publicly on cases pending in any court and making political or policy statements concerning matters that arc or have been before them.\u201d The agency went on to highlight numerous provisions of the Code of Conduct for United States Judges that it claimed these judges violated with their comments to the Times. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDIIS frequently has cases pending in the District of Minnesota, including immigration cases before Judge Schiltz and Judge [John] Tunheim. These judges should be ordered to recuse from any matters involving DHS because thc public reasonably questions their impartiality in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-demands-investigation-into-justice-jackson-after-her-grammy-stunt\/\" title=\"GOP Demands Investigation into ... Jackson After Her Grammy Stunt\">cases involving immigration<\/a>,\u201d the complaint reads. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Justice Department additionally requested that the 8th Circuit\u2019s Judicial Council launch an investigation \u201cinto the improper conduct by judges in the District of Minnesota who \u2018covet publicity\u2019 rather than adhering to the rule of law by adjudicating cases or controversies,\u201d and that a special committee be appointed to probe the alleged \u201cmisconduct.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">\n<div class=\"article-author-description fst-italic\">      Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He is a co-recipient of the 2025 Dao Prize for Excellence in Investigative Journalism. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics and RealClearHealth. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-author mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-30 bdr-top-bold-black\">\n<div class=\"row g-0 align-items-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6\">\n<div class=\"article-author-profile d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-md-start\">\n<div class=\"article-author-details\">\n<div class=\"label-md\">Shawn Fleetwood<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-author-twitter label-sm d-flex align-items-center mt-10\">             <i class=\"mdi mdi-twitter me-5\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>             <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Visit on Twitter<\/span>            <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ShawnFleetwood\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"text-decoration-none\">@ShawnFleetwood<\/a>           <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6 d-flex justify-content-center justify-content-md-end mt-15 mt-md-0\">        <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/author\/shawnfleetwood\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">More Articles<\/a>     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-tags no-print bdr-top-black mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-15 pt-md-45\">\n<ul class=\"list-unstyled d-flex flex-wrap align-items-center mb-0 mx-n10 p-0\">\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/complaint\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">complaint<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Department of Justice<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/deportations\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Deportations<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/doj\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">DOJ<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/ice\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">ICE<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/illegal-aliens\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">illegal aliens<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/minnesota\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Minnesota<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/new-york-times\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">New York Times<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/rogue-judges\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">rogue judges<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/trump-administration\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Trump Administration<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DOJ files misconduct complaint against Minnesota judges over ICE 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