A federal judge ordered the director of ICE to appear in court for violating court orders in Minnesota.

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Todd Lyons, director en funciones del ICE. Un juez federal lo citó a comparecer el viernes para explicar por qué no debería ser acusado de desacato por violar órdenes judiciales. (AP Foto/Manuel Balce Ceneta, archivo)

atrick Schiltz gave Todd Lyons until Friday to personally explain why he shouldn't be held in contempt of court. The Trump administration sent its border czar Tom Homan to take over operations following the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.

Todd Lyons, acting director

Todd Lyons, acting director of ICE. A federal judge summoned him to appear Friday to explain why he shouldn't be held in contempt of court for violating court orders. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, file)

The top federal judge in Minnesota said the Trump administration has failed to comply with orders to hold hearings for detained immigrants and ordered the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to appear before him Friday to explain why he shouldn't be held in contempt of court.

In an order dated Monday, Judge Patrick J. Schiltz stated that Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, must appear in court in person. Schiltz criticized the administration for its handling of bond hearings for immigrants it has detained.

“This court has been extremely patient with the defendants, even though the defendants chose to send thousands of agents to Minnesota to arrest aliens without making any provision for dealing with the hundreds of habeas corpus petitions and other lawsuits that were sure to result,” the judge wrote.

The order comes a day after President Donald Trump ordered border czar Tom Homan to take charge of immigration raids in Minnesota following the second death this month of a person at the hands of an immigration agent.

Trump said in an interview aired Tuesday that he had “excellent calls” with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey on Monday, reflecting comments he made immediately after the calls.

Walz's office said Tuesday that the Democratic governor met with Homan and requested impartial investigations into the shootings by federal agents. According to the governor, they agreed on the need for continued dialogue.

The White House had tried to blame Democratic leaders for the protests. But after the killing of Alex Pretti on Saturday and videos suggesting the protester did not appear to be an active threat, the administration appointed Homan to take over the operation in Minnesota, replacing Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino.

Immigration agents were active throughout the Twin Cities region (Minneapolis and St. Paul) on Tuesday, and it was unclear whether the government had changed tactics following the shift in tone from the White House.

The streets appeared largely quiet in many South Minneapolis neighborhoods where unmarked convoys of immigration agents had regularly been seen, including the neighborhoods where the two deaths occurred. But Associated Press personnel saw vehicles full of agents in Northeast Minneapolis, as well as in the suburb of Little Canada.

Schiltz’s order also follows a federal court hearing on Monday regarding a request from the state and the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul for a judge to order a halt to immigration raids. The judge said she would prioritize a ruling but did not give a timeframe.

Schiltz acknowledged that ordering the head of a federal agency to appear in person is extraordinary, “but the magnitude of ICE’s violation of court orders is equally extraordinary, and lesser measures have been attempted and failed,” the judge wrote.

“The defendants have continuously assured the court that they recognize their obligation to comply with the court’s orders, and that they have taken steps to ensure that those orders are respected in the future,” Schiltz continued in the order. “Unfortunately, however, the violations continue.”

Messages were sent Tuesday to ICE and a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson seeking comment.

Schiltz’s order names the petitioner by first name and last initial: Juan T.R. It states that the court granted a petition on January 14 to provide him with a bond hearing within seven days. On January 23, the person’s lawyers informed the court that the petitioner remained in custody. Court documents show that the petitioner is a citizen of Ecuador who arrived in the United States around 1999.

The order states that Schiltz will cancel Lyons' appearance if the petitioner is released.

(AP)