WASHINGTON — A government lawyer who told a judge that her job “sucks” during a court hearing stemming from the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota has been removed from her Justice Department post, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Julie Le had been working for the Justice Department on a detail, but the U.S. attorney in Minnesota ended her assignment after her comments in court on Tuesday, the person said. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a personnel matter. She had been working for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement before the temporary assignment.
At a hearing Tuesday in St. Paul, Minn., for several immigration cases, Le told U.S. District Judge Jerry Blackwell that she wishes he could hold her in contempt of court “so that I can have a full 24 hours of sleep.”
“What do you want me to do? The system sucks. This job sucks. And I am trying every breath that I have so that I can get you what you need,” Le said, according to a transcript.
Le’s extraordinary remarks reflect the intense strain that has been placed on the federal court system since President Trump returned to the White House a year ago with a promise to carry out mass deportations. ICE officials have said the surge in Minnesota has become its largest-ever immigration operation since ramping up in early January.
Several prosecutors have left the U.S. attorney’s office in Minnesota amid frustration with the immigration enforcement surge and the Justice Department’s response to fatal shootings of two civilians by federal agents. Le was assigned at least 88 cases in less than a month, according to online court records.
Blackwell told Le that the volume of cases isn’t an excuse for disregarding court orders. He expressed concern that people arrested in immigration enforcement operations are routinely jailed for days after judges have ordered their release from custody.
“And I hear the concerns about all the energy that this is causing the DOJ to expend, but, with respect, some of it is of your own making by not complying with orders,” the judge told Le.
Le said she was working for the Department of Homeland Security as an ICE attorney in immigration court before she “stupidly” volunteered to work the detail in Minnesota. Le told the judge that she wasn’t properly trained for the assignment. She said she wanted to resign from the job but couldn’t get a replacement.
“Fixing a system, a broken system, I don’t have a magic button to do it. I don’t have the power or the voice to do it,” she said.
Le and spokespeople for DHS, ICE and the U.S. attorney’s office in Minnesota didn’t immediately respond to emails seeking comment.
Kira Kelley, an attorney who represented two petitioners at the hearing, said the flood of immigration petitions is necessary because of “so many people being detained without any semblance of a lawful basis.”
“And there’s no indication here that any new systems or bolded e-mails or any instructions to ICE are going to fix any of this,” she added.
Kunzelman and Richer write for the Associated Press.
Government lawyer is yanked from immigration detail in Minnesota after telling judge ‘this job sucks’
WASHINGTON — A government lawyer who told a judge that her job “sucks” during a court hearing stemming from the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota has been removed from her Justice Department post, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Julie Le had been working for the Justice Department on a detail, but the U.S. attorney in Minnesota ended her assignment after her comments in court on Tuesday, the person said. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a personnel matter. She had been working for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement before the temporary assignment.
At a hearing Tuesday in St. Paul, Minn., for several immigration cases, Le told U.S. District Judge Jerry Blackwell that she wishes he could hold her in contempt of court “so that I can have a full 24 hours of sleep.”
“What do you want me to do? The system sucks. This job sucks. And I am trying every breath that I have so that I can get you what you need,” Le said, according to a transcript.
Le’s extraordinary remarks reflect the intense strain that has been placed on the federal court system since President Trump returned to the White House a year ago with a promise to carry out mass deportations. ICE officials have said the surge in Minnesota has become its largest-ever immigration operation since ramping up in early January.
Several prosecutors have left the U.S. attorney’s office in Minnesota amid frustration with the immigration enforcement surge and the Justice Department’s response to fatal shootings of two civilians by federal agents. Le was assigned at least 88 cases in less than a month, according to online court records.
Blackwell told Le that the volume of cases isn’t an excuse for disregarding court orders. He expressed concern that people arrested in immigration enforcement operations are routinely jailed for days after judges have ordered their release from custody.
“And I hear the concerns about all the energy that this is causing the DOJ to expend, but, with respect, some of it is of your own making by not complying with orders,” the judge told Le.
Le said she was working for the Department of Homeland Security as an ICE attorney in immigration court before she “stupidly” volunteered to work the detail in Minnesota. Le told the judge that she wasn’t properly trained for the assignment. She said she wanted to resign from the job but couldn’t get a replacement.
“Fixing a system, a broken system, I don’t have a magic button to do it. I don’t have the power or the voice to do it,” she said.
Le and spokespeople for DHS, ICE and the U.S. attorney’s office in Minnesota didn’t immediately respond to emails seeking comment.
Kira Kelley, an attorney who represented two petitioners at the hearing, said the flood of immigration petitions is necessary because of “so many people being detained without any semblance of a lawful basis.”
“And there’s no indication here that any new systems or bolded e-mails or any instructions to ICE are going to fix any of this,” she added.
Kunzelman and Richer write for the Associated Press.
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Joe Swash fans in hysterics as they spot detail in sweet photo with stepson Zach
JOE Swash and stepson Zach put on a dapper display as they posed for snaps before attending the TV Choice Awards tonight.
Zach, 17 – the eldest child of 44-year-old Joe’s wife Stacey Solomon – scrubbed up in a navy suit, white shirt and striped tie.
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While the former EastEnders star opted for a black suit which he teamed with a low-cut black T-shirt.
He captioned his upload: “Zach & Me off to represent the Solomon Swash’s tonight at the @tvchoicemagazine awards.
“Proud to be your +1 Zachy. Love you boy.”
But eagle-eyed fans were quick to notice Joe was trying his best to minimize the height difference between him and Zach – by standing on his tip toes.
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One wrote: “The tiptoes haha love your relationship with all the kids.”
Another said: “Joe on his tippy toes.”
Someone else wrote: “Joe on your tip toes is cracking me.”
And a fourth added: “Love how Joe is trying to be taller than Zach.”
Stacey is also mum to 13-year-old Leighton from a previous relationship while she and Joe share Rex, six, Rose, four, and Belle, two.
Joe is dad so son Harry, 18, from his relationship with ex Emma Sophocleous.
Last month The Sun told how Stacey is desperate to get fans back on side after a flood of negative backlash over her ‘out of touch’ posts.
A source revealed: “The bottom line is Stacey is no longer relatable.
“People think she flaunts her wealth and moans all the time – now Stacey’s being advised to rein it in and shut her mouth or risk ruining everything she’s worked so hard for.
“The plan is for Stacey to go back to basics and remember who her audience is. No more bragging about expensive holidays and keeping in mind not everybody is in her position.”
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