Minnesota judge holds federal attorney in civil contempt

First such sanction against a Trump administration lawyer in his second term

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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A federal judge in Minnesota held a Trump administration attorney in civil contempt for 'flagrant disobedience of court orders' in the case of a noncitizen swept up in the immigration crackdown there earlier this year. The contempt finding by US District Judge Laura Provinzino appears to mark the first time a federal attorney has faced court-ordered sanctions during President Donald Trump's second term.

Why it matters

Judges in the Twin Cities and elsewhere have grown increasingly impatient with the administration's repeated violations of court orders, particularly in fast-moving immigration cases. This case highlights the growing tensions between the federal government and the judiciary over immigration enforcement actions.

The details

Judge Provinzino ordered the government to release a Mexican national who had lived in Minnesota since 2018, but the government flouted that order in three different ways, including by releasing him in Texas instead of Minnesota and not returning his identification documents. The judge said the government's 'understaffing and high caseload is a problem of its own making and absolutely does not justify flagrant disobedience of court orders'.

  • On February 9, Judge Provinzino ordered the government to release the man by February 13.
  • On February 19, Judge Provinzino held the government attorney in civil contempt.

The players

Judge Laura Provinzino

A US District Judge in Minnesota appointed by former President Joe Biden.

Matthew Isihara

A military attorney who went to the Twin Cities to help the Justice Department handle a flood of immigration cases.

Alex Pretti

A noncitizen swept up in the immigration crackdown in Minnesota earlier this year.

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What they’re saying

“The government's understaffing and high caseload is a problem of its own making and absolutely does not justify flagrant disobedience of court orders.”

— Judge Laura Provinzino (CNN)

“It's a capacity issue, your honor, and that's the fundamental underlying issue. It's not any willful attempt to defy the court.”

— Matthew Isihara, Justice Department attorney (CNN)

What’s next

The judge said that starting Friday, the lawyer, Matthew Isihara, must pay $500 each day that the immigrant is not given back identification documents that weren't initially returned to him when he was released last week from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility, as she had ordered.

The takeaway

This case highlights the growing tensions between the federal government and the judiciary over immigration enforcement actions, with judges increasingly willing to hold government attorneys in contempt for failing to comply with court orders.