Judge Blackwell:
"this hearing is really not about trying to find ways to punish individual lawyers ....
It's about institutional compliance."
Thank you to the person (perhaps
@danielsuitor.com?) who made public the transcript from yesterday's hearing in front of Judge Blackwell.
Here's a link to it:
Then-Special AUSA Julie Le seemed to think that she needed to *create* a system to enable compliance w/ court orders:
"I'm trying my very best to help to come up with a system or ... a procedure somehow so that we ... can help ... comply[] with the Court."
Le says she can't access her DOJ email.
THE COURT:
So are you telling the Court that you were brought in brand new, a shiny, brand new penny into this role, and you received no proper orientation or training on what you were supposed to do?
MS. LE:
I have to say yes to that question, Your Honor.
drive.google.com/file/d/1FnY2...
THE COURT:
So is then each attorney within your office making up his or her own process?
MS. LE:
I don't know about that, Your Honor, but as the S[pecial] AUSAs attorney, there are four of us, and we are trying to figure out what do we need to do to handle this operation.
In one case [Tot-Choc v. Bondi, 26-CV-167 a/k/a Oscar O.T. v Bondi],
on Jan. 15, the court ordered:
- immediate release of Petitioner &
- notice to court within 48 hours confirming his release.
Le says she didn't receive that order until Jan. 17.
Feb 4, 2026 22:04The govt violated several orders in this case.
Jan. 27, Voss told court: "petitioner will be transported back to Minnesota via a commercial flight today" & asked for extension on filing confirmation "due to safety concerns."
The govt blames its delay in releasing petitioner on "safety concerns"
So the court "asked for information about what the safety concerns were,"
& asked again -- twice -- "what were these safety concerns that explain this delay. And to this day, I've never gotten an answer"
He even "put that issue under seal, ... but I've gotten no responses at all"
What was the purported "safety concern?"
Protesters (!)
"Julie Le:
And I was told if we provided all information, the protester will show up at the airport and the agent and other people will be in dangers."
No wonder the government refused to explain its claimed "safety concern"
THE COURT:
So my question had to do with the safety concern for why the person could not be put on the airplane ...
And is your answer because they were concerned that if he were put on a plane, that if he arrived here, there may have been a public reaction of some kind?
Julie Le planned to resign,
"but they couldn't find a replacement," so she stayed.
She told herself:
"You need to go back and get more people out.
That's why I'm still here.
I am here just trying to make sure that the agency understand how important it is to comply with all the court orders ...."
In questioning Ana Voss, Judge Blackwell tries to find out who is causing the the government to violate so many orders in these habeas cases, & notes how unprecedented the situation is:
Kira Kelley, who "represent[s] Petitioners Oscar & Juan in
these cases":
"attorneys are ... not being credentialed or properly
trained or supervised, nor are officers or agents of
respondent[]" agencies.
"problems with supervision & training ... have resulted in immense violence to our communities"
Kira Kelley:
The court needs to focus on DHS & ICE rather than the DOJ lawyers who come into court representing those agencies
Are DHS & ICE "making it impossible for counsel to comply?"
"counsel for respondents [i.e., DHS & ICE] don't have the power to get their clients under control."
Most DHS arrests result from indiscriminate sweeps, despite its claim to engage in "targeted operations"
Kira Kelley, who represents folks arrested by ICE in MN:
"Most of my clients, they report that respondents, upon
detaining them, have no idea who they are.
They are pulled over for how they look or for where they are ..."
source:
drive.google.com/file/d/1FnY2...
