URGENT UPDATE: A government lawyer has been abruptly removed from her position following a shocking outburst in court, where she described her job as “sucks.” This incident, which occurred during a hearing in St. Paul, Minnesota, has raised significant concerns regarding the ongoing immigration enforcement surge initiated by the Trump administration.
Julie Le, who was temporarily assigned to the Justice Department from her role at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), faced U.S. District Judge Jerry Blackwell on Tuesday when she expressed her frustration over an overwhelming caseload. Le stated, “The system sucks. This job sucks. And I am trying every breath that I have so that I can get you what you need.”
Her comments come amid a dramatic increase in immigration cases in Minnesota, which officials claim is the largest operation of its kind in the state’s history. In less than a month, Le was assigned to manage at least 88 cases, a staggering workload that has reportedly led to frustration among several prosecutors within the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Judge Blackwell pointed out the consequences of this chaos, noting that individuals arrested during immigration operations often remain jailed for days, despite judges ordering their release. He warned Le, “Some of it is of your own making by not complying with orders.”
Le candidly admitted to the court that she felt “stupid” for volunteering for the assignment, claiming a lack of proper training for her role at such a critical time. She further expressed her desire to resign but indicated that finding a replacement was proving difficult. “Fixing a system, a broken system, I don’t have a magic button to do it,” she lamented.
The Justice Department’s decision to terminate Le’s assignment reflects the escalating tensions surrounding immigration enforcement in Minnesota, especially as federal agents have faced scrutiny following the fatal shootings of two civilians.
Kira Kelley, an attorney representing petitioners at the hearing, emphasized the urgency for reform in the immigration system, stating, “so many people being detained without any semblance of a lawful basis.” She highlighted that no new directives or emails from ICE would resolve these ongoing issues.
The rapid developments in this case are drawing significant attention as the public and officials alike grapple with the implications of the current immigration policies. As frustration mounts, the future of immigration enforcement in Minnesota remains uncertain.
Stay tuned for more updates as this situation unfolds and impacts both the legal community and those affected by immigration enforcement.
