Judge criticizes federal officials over immigration detention case in Iowa

US District Judge says government's refusal to release immigrant without court order is "untenable"

Mar. 22, 2026 at 4:45pm

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An Iowa judge has sharply criticized federal officials for refusing to release an immigrant from the Muscatine County Jail without a court order, despite acknowledging that he has been incarcerated in violation of federal law. The case involves Andrei Bankevich, who came to the US from Belarus to seek asylum in 2021 due to his political views.

Why it matters

This case highlights ongoing tensions between the federal government and the courts over immigration detention policies, with the judge accusing officials of failing to follow the law without a specific judicial mandate.

The details

Bankevich was arrested on an OWI charge in February 2025 and eventually turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He remained jailed in Minnesota until an ICE operation in Minneapolis caused jails and detention centers to be filled up, and Bankevich was transferred on December 3rd to the Muscatine County Jail. His Iowa attorney sought relief from the courts earlier this month, noting that Bankevich had been incarcerated for over a year, in violation of a federal law that says someone subject to a final order of deportation can't be incarcerated for more than six months. The government responded by saying that ICE officials had been working on a third-country removal for Bankevich since September and conceded that he was being detained illegally, but refused to release him without a court order.

  • Bankevich was arrested on an OWI charge in February 2025.
  • Bankevich was transferred to the Muscatine County Jail on December 3rd.

The players

Andrei Bankevich

An immigrant from Belarus who came to the US to seek asylum in 2021 due to his political views.

Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger

A US District Judge who sharply criticized federal officials for refusing to release Bankevich from jail without a court order.

US Department of Justice

The federal agency that the judge criticized for failing to follow the law without a specific judicial mandate.

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What they’re saying

“It is untenable that federal officials refuse to meet their obligations to follow the law”

— Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger, US District Judge

What’s next

Judge Goodgame Ebinger said she would entertain motions from Bankevich's attorney to have the government pay his legal fees and associated costs in the matter.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tensions between the federal government and the courts over immigration detention policies, with the judge accusing officials of failing to follow the law without a specific judicial mandate to do so.