DOJ files judicial misconduct complaint against Minnesota federal judges

The Department of Justice has filed a judicial misconduct complaint against nearly all active federal judges in Minnesota, escalating tensions between the Trump administration and the judiciary. The complaint, filed with the Eighth Circuit, targets judges who spoke to The New York Times about the administration's immigration crackdown, Operation Metro Surge. Attorney General Todd Blanche accuses the judges of partisan bias and has demanded their recusal from all Department of Homeland Security cases, while the judges maintain their comments on the rule of law were ethically permitted.

The DOJ's misconduct complaint against Minnesota judges

• ▪The Department of Justice filed a judicial misconduct complaint against Minnesota federal judges with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, signed by Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter and Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward
• ▪The misconduct complaint against Minnesota federal judges was prompted by a September 17, 2026, New York Times article in which six Minnesota federal judges commented on the Trump administration's immigration enforcement operations
• ▪The U.S. Department of Justice filed a judicial misconduct complaint on September 30, 2026, against all but one of the active federal district judges in Minnesota
• ▪The Department of Justice's complaint specifically names U.S. District Judges Patrick J. Schiltz and John R. Tunheim, alongside unnamed anonymous district judges serving on the Minnesota bench

Minnesota judges' comments to the New York Times

• ▪U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel defended fellow Minnesota federal judges' comments to The New York Times about Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota, stating that federal judges are allowed to speak out about judicial independence
• ▪U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz participated in a 90-minute interview with The New York Times, stating that the Trump administration's disregard for court orders during Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota created a grave threat to the rule of law
• ▪U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim told The New York Times that federal immigration agents were not arresting dangerous criminals on the street during the enforcement surge in Minnesota known as Operation Metro Surge

Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota

• ▪Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota resulted in violent clashes and the deaths of two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, in January 2026
• ▪The Trump administration launched Operation Metro Surge in December 2025, deploying more than 3,000 immigration authorities to Minnesota, which led to a surge of habeas petitions in federal courts

Debatable claims

• ▪The Justice Department's misconduct complaint against Minnesota judges undermines judicial independence
• ▪The Minnesota federal judges should recuse themselves from all Department of Homeland Security cases
• ▪The Trump administration's noncompliance with court orders during Operation Metro Surge threatened the rule of law
• ▪Federal judges are ethically justified in publicly speaking out to defend the rule of law