Biden-Appointed Judge Holds DOJ Lawyer in Civil Contempt Over Immigration Case

Fines DOJ lawyer $500 per day for violating court order to return immigrant's identification papers

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

A Minnesota-based federal judge appointed by President Biden has held a Justice Department attorney in civil contempt over an immigration case and fined him $500 per day for violating her order. The judge said the DOJ lawyer violated her orders in a habeas case related to the release of an ICE detainee's papers, forcing the detainee to be released in Texas without his identification documents.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing tensions and challenges facing the U.S. immigration system, with leftist organizations fighting to keep illegal immigrants from being deported while the government struggles with case overload and staffing shortages. The judge's actions underscore the pressure on government lawyers handling these sensitive cases.

The details

US District Judge Laura Provinzino, a Biden appointee, said the DOJ lawyer, Matthew Isihara, violated her orders in a habeas case related to the release of an ICE detainee's papers. Isihara, a JAG lawyer from the Department of War assisting in immigration cases in the US Attorney's Office, apologized for allowing the order to 'fall through the cracks' due to case overload and understaffing.

  • On February 18, 2026, Judge Provinzino held Isihara in civil contempt and fined him $500 per day.
  • Isihara said he has picked up nearly 130 habeas cases in just the last month.

The players

Judge Laura Provinzino

A Minnesota-based federal judge appointed by President Biden.

Matthew Isihara

A JAG lawyer from the Department of War assisting in immigration cases in the US Attorney's Office.

Julie Le

A lawyer in the US Attorney's Office for Minnesota who had an emotional breakdown over immigration cases and asked a judge to hold her in contempt.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

The judge said she is imposing civil contempt and fines to force the DOJ to comply with her court order to immediately return the immigration papers to the detainee.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing challenges facing the U.S. immigration system, with government lawyers struggling to keep up with the caseload and comply with court orders amid staffing shortages and pressure from advocacy groups. It underscores the need for comprehensive immigration reform and additional resources to address the backlog of cases.