Exclusive: US considered charging Minnesota judges, lawyers in immigration crackdown, sources say
Source: Reuters
Exclusive: US considered charging Minnesota judges, lawyers in immigration crackdown, sources say
By Sarah N. Lynch
July 16, 20256:32 AM EDT Updated 3 hours ago
Summary
* FBI eyed judges, defense lawyers over virtual hearings for defendants in country illegally, sources say
* Status of early-stage probe into judges, defense lawyers remains unclear
* Virtual hearings common post-COVID, seen as routine by defense attorneys
WASHINGTON, July 16 (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department explored bringing criminal charges against Minnesota judges and defense lawyers who discussed requesting virtual court hearings to protect defendants from being arrested by federal immigration officers, according to five people familiar with the matter.
In February, FBI agents in Minneapolis opened a preliminary inquiry into whether local judges and defense attorneys obstructed immigration enforcement by requesting virtual hearings, and the concept was also pitched to law enforcement officials in Minneapolis and Washington, D.C., said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal Justice Department deliberations.
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Read more: https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-considered-charging-minnesota-judges-lawyers-immigration-crackdown-sources-2025-07-16/
Reposted by Homeland Heritage Hat
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AblativMeatshld
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I want the names of every motherfucker that spoke in favor of charges.
Reuters Legal
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The U.S. Justice Department explored bringing criminal charges against Minnesota judges and defense lawyers who discussed requesting virtual court hearings to protect defendants from being arrested by federal immigration officers, according to five people familiar with the matter.
Exclusive: US considered charging Minnesota judges, lawyers in immigration crackdown, sources say
The U.S. Justice Department explored bringing criminal charges against Minnesota judges and defense lawyers who discussed requesting virtual court hearings to protect defendants from being arrested by federal immigration officers, according to five people familiar with the matter.
reut.rs
July 16, 2025 at 11:20 AM
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I want the names of every motherfucker that spoke in favor of charges.
— AblativMeatshld (@ablativmeatshld.bsky.social) 2025-07-16T15:20:53.808Z

Lovie777
(19,391 posts)msfiddlestix
(8,114 posts)is distinction with a difference in meaning and context. Reuters knows better, but I guess their copy editors aren't quite up to the job.
OldBaldy1701E
(8,427 posts)And, I may be spitballing here, but I just cannot remember a time in the last administration when any federal governmental entity 'went after' specific states that just so happen to have defied their attempts to ignore the Constitution as well as the states ability to govern its own citizens.
I Just don't recall Joe Biden's DOJ or FBI ever appearing on camera and saying that they were going to sue Georgia because everyone was not rich therefore the state had failed to provide for their welfare.
Do any of you?