August M
A federal attorney involved in a high-profile immigration crackdown has been removed from her post after openly venting frustration in court.
The episode has added to mounting scrutiny over how the government is handling immigration cases amid intense pressure on legal staff, reports NBC News.
Remarks in court
Julie Le, a Department of Homeland Security attorney detailed to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota, told a federal judge during a hearing that her job “sucks” and asked to be held in contempt so she “could get 24 hours of sleep.”
Le made the comments Tuesday during an immigration hearing in Minneapolis, where the Trump administration is carrying out a large-scale enforcement operation. A person present in the courtroom confirmed the remarks to NBC News.
Detail ends abruptly
An official familiar with the matter told NBC News febuary 4 that Le’s detail to the U.S. attorney’s office had ended in the wake of the comments. Neither the Department of Homeland Security nor the Justice Department immediately responded to requests for comment.
Le could not be reached for comment.
Heavy workload cited
Court records reviewed by NBC News show that Le had taken on 88 cases in less than a month. During the hearing, she described systemic problems, saying it was like “pulling teeth” to get DHS, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Justice Department to comply with court orders, according to reporting by NBC affiliate KARE.
“It takes 10 emails from me for a release condition to be corrected,” Le told the court, adding that further action often required threats to walk out.
Judges voice concern
Le’s remarks followed sharp criticism from U.S. District Judge Jerry Blackwell, who ordered the government to explain why it had failed to follow court directives, including orders to release certain immigrant detainees.
In a recent order, Blackwell described the government’s failures as “alarming,” pointing to a separate ruling by Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz, who wrote that his “patience is at an end” after repeated noncompliance with “dozens of court orders.”
Strain inside office
People familiar with the situation told NBC News that multiple lawyers at the U.S. attorney’s office have left in recent weeks over ethical concerns. Trump administration officials have attempted to surge additional resources into the district to address staffing gaps.
Ana H. Voss, Le’s co-counsel in Minneapolis, is among those who have submitted resignation notices, according to a source.
Crackdown backdrop
The episode unfolded during “Operation Metro Surge,” an immigration enforcement campaign in Minnesota that has resulted in thousands of arrests since December. The operation has also sparked mass protests and intensified debate after two U.S. citizens were fatally shot by federal officers.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said this week that immigration agents in Minneapolis would be equipped with body cameras following the incidents.
Sources: NBC News, KARE
