Legal AF by MeidasTouch - GOP Judge Unleashes on Trump in Open Court in Minnesota

Episode Date: January 31, 2026

In breaking news, the Chief Judge of Minnesota federal courts patience has worn thin with ICE, as he notes in a new order that “ICE has likely violated more court orders in January 2026 than some federal agencies have violated in their entire existence” cataloguing more than 96 violations by ICE and the DOJ in the last 30 days, and threatening to hold someone in contempt if it happens one more time. Popok reports. Freedom from Religion Foundation: Go to https://FFRF.US/NewYear or text "LEGALAF to 511511 today. Visit https://meidasplus.com for more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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entire existence. Judge Schultz pushing back, fighting back against the Trump administration and its defiance, its refusal to comply with orders in a brand new orders of his, in which he is cataloged that just this month, ICE has violated 96 court orders in 74 cases. And the judge is concerned. He's looking to put somebody in jail or find them in contempt, and we're here for it on the Midas Touch Network and Legal A.F. I'm Michael Popock. How did this all start? Well, Chief Judge Schultz, because he's in Minnesota, has a number of cases in front of him from the protest on the street, from the murders on the street by ICE. and he also supervises all the other judges in Minnesota within the Eighth Circuit.

And he ordered last week that a petitioner identified as Juan T.R. Be released, be given a bond hearing or be immediately released at the bond hearing didn't happen. And when the deadline came and went and they violated that order, the judge issued another order. He said, if he's not released by this Friday, the time of my recording, then he's going to call in and require in command that Todd Lyons, the acting head of ICE, show cause why he should not be found in contempt unless a stipulation is filed by Friday that Mr. Juan, TR, is released. Well, they did that. But if the Department of Justice felt like, well, we're out of the woods now, we release the guy, that's the end of it. No, we have the concluding order. He's got to get his pound of flesh, Judge Schultz.

And here's what he said in his new order, which is up on Legal AF Substack. I'm glad you're here, by the way, Midas Touch, independent journalism under attack the day of Don Lemon's arrest, hit the free subscribe button, come over to LegalAF YouTube and show your support for what we do here on YouTube and in an impedent journalism. Here's where the judge had to say on page two. Respondents didn't hold a bond hearing. The court that issued a show cause order and scheduled a hearing. at which it ordered the personal appearance of Todd Lyons, acting director of the U.S. immigration and customs enforcement. The court noted that if the parties filed a stipulation,

indicating that one had been released, the court would cancel the hearing and would not require lions to appear. The parties have now filed such stipulation, and therefore the court will not require lions to appear. But, according to the judge on page two, that does not end the court's concerns. Attached to this order is an appendix. that identifies 96 court orders that ICE has violated in 74 cases.

Now, when I first read that, I was like, oh, like, in a year, that's really high. In a year, it's in a month. It's in the month of January. It's this month. The extent of ICE's noncompliance is almost certainly substantially understated. This list is confined to orders issued since Jan 1, 2026, and hurriedly compiled by extraordinarily busy judges. Because the judges of Minnesota are, are. are groaning under the weight and the responsibility of all,

not just the cases where ICE executes or Border Patrol executes an American, but all the other migrants and people who are picked up and Americans who are picked up and arrested have to be processed through the judicial system. It all falls on the Minnesota courts. The judge continues, Judge Schultz. This list should give pause to anyone, no matter his or her political beliefs who cares about the rule of law, ICE has likely violated more court orders in January,

January 2026, then some federal agencies have violated in their entire existence. The court warns, we're getting to the warning part now, the court warns ICE that future noncompliance with court orders may result in future show cause orders requiring the personal appearance of lions or other government officials. ICE is not a law unto itself. ICE has every right to challenge orders, but must follow those orders unless and until they are overturned or vacated. Juan asked this court to schedule a hearing about the hardships he suffered and asking for effectively

sanctions. The court will not schedule a hearing at this time. If Juan wants to seek monetary sanctions, he may file a properly supported motion to that effect. Judge Shelton. Legal AF is brought to you by the Freedom from Religion Foundation. The First Amendment isn't ambiguous, and it is optional. It's clear. Government may not establish religion, and it may not favor one belief system

over another. But across the country, lawmakers and public officials are testing those limits, pushing prayer into public schools, carving out religious exemptions that undermine civil rights and blurring the line between church and state in ways the Constitution expressly forbids. That's where the Freedom from Religion Foundation comes in. FFRF is a national nonprofit that uses education, advocacy, and the law to hold government accountable when it crosses that line, protecting the rights of believers and non-believers alike. Because religious freedom doesn't mean government-endorsed religion. It means freedom of conscience for everyone.

If you care about the Constitution, the rule of law, and a government that works for all of us, not just the loudest or most powerful, now is the time to act. Visit ffrf.us slash new year or text the word legal a.f to 511, 511 to learn more and join. Go to ffrf.us slash new year or text legal a.f to 511-1-511 and help protect our country that belongs to all of us. Go to ffrf.org slash new year or text legal a.f to 511 to 511 and help protect our country that belongs to all of us. U.S. slash New Year or text legal AF to 511-511 today. Message and data rates may apply. What's happened since? Oh, you got, you know, I was always wondering how they're going to come after Schultz. Rock rib, conservative, Bush appointee, not leftist, not Marxist, not activist.

Oh, they found it. Fox Propaganda Network and it's Black Ops. Oh, the judge donated to an immigrant Rights Project with his wife. Oh, really? I got news for them. Judges are allowed to be apparently a member of the Federalist Society, exclusive clubs, all sorts of MAGA causes, and they can also contribute to the ACLU and immigration rights projects once in a while without it making them unfit or biased or conflicted to make rulings in cases. That's the reason that he ordered it is not because of his donations, It's because of the 96 orders that have been violated, including about Todd Lyons. And, of course, the Trump administration wants to hide Todd Lyons because he's the author of the secret memo that got leaked by two insider department of ice whistleblowers who said he wrote or signed a memo that gave ICE officers carte blanche to use battering rams to burst down the front doors of your home in violation of the Fourth Amendment with all all the.

they have in their hands besides the battering ram is the administrative warrant issued by a Trump judge in ICE. So a Trump judge on Trump advice uses a Trump agent to go make an arrest. We're missing something, aren't we? An independent neutral federal judge, district court, Article III judge, or a magistrate judge. Just outrageous. That Todd Lyons. And I'm sure that's one of the reasons they wanted to hide him. Just like they got rid of Greg Bovino, the head of border patrol. This was going to be his Swan song. He ended up getting fired by Trump. Christy Noam sideline almost on her way out. Pam Bondi's still running around as if she's got a job security when we know she doesn't. And now they're hiding Todd Lions. We'll cover it all right here on the Midas Touch Network.

One plea. Friends of us, friends of Midas Touch like Don Lemon, arrested at the grand. Awards for being a journalist because he was a journalist that was covering a protest at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota. There's going to be a press conference. I'm sure we'll get our hands on the arrest warrant or the indictment or the criminal complaint. It shows you that Donald Trump will stop at nothing to crush dissent. First Amendment expression, freedom of the press. And freedom of expression and independent media live here on YouTube, on the Midasest Dutch Network, on Legal AF, hit the free subscribe button. Just use your thumb, finger.

Same thing on LegalAF YouTube channel. Now, more than ever. LegalAF substack, where we post this kind of order for you to read. Keep our community together. Keep us on the air. Until my next report, I'm Michael Popok. Can't get your fill of LegalAF.

Me neither. That's why we form the LegalAF substack. Every time we mention something in a hot take, whether it's a court filing or a oral argument, come over to the substack. you'll find the court filing and the oral argument there, including a daily roundup that I do call, wait for it, morning A.F. What else? All the other contributors from LegalAF are there as well. We got some new reporting. We got interviews. We got ad-free versions of the podcast and hot takes. Where legal A-F on substack. Come over now to free subscribe.