In classic Saul Alinsky/Cloward-Piven-style, immigration lawyers have overwhelmed the local federal district court with habeas corpus filings to bring normal court business to a halt.
Habeas corpus (lit. produce the body) filings demand emergency relief to have a suspect released from custody by a judge’s order.
As of today (Thursday, Jan. 22), 319 habeas petitions have been filed in Federal District Court in Minnesota since the beginning of the calendar year. That number represents most (58 percent) of all the 546 civil cases filed with the court in 2026.
The court only began accepting new cases for the year on January 5.
Expressed a different way, in 2025, it took until February 11 before we reached civil case No. 546, of all types.
With more than 300 such “emergency” filings made in eighteen (18) days, the court has little time to do anything else, such a try criminal cases or issue arrest warrants.
And it’s all being done in Star Chamber-like secrecy. Typical is a case heard today, File No. 26-cv-424, captioned J.B.C.O vs. Bondi.
The case was filed on Sunday, January 18, when the court and government offices are typically closed. The plaintiffs are six unnamed citizens of Venezuela, arrested by ICE. On Monday (a federal holiday) morning, Judge John Tunheim ordered their release from custody, without having heard from the government, or even requesting their input.
Giving the timing of events, the government (representing the people) had likely already lost the case before they had even heard of it.
“As of yesterday, there are eleven documents included in the case file Nine of the 11 are filed under seal, unavailable for viewing by the general public.
The only documents viewable are the two orders issued by Judge Tunheim, in favor of the plaintiffs, without having given the other side a chance to be heard.
Keep in mind that the individuals ICE and Border Patrol seek to apprehend have already received a final order of removal (deportation) from an Immigration Court.
Judge Tunheim imagines a different system than the one created by Congress, where an illegal immigrant, having already lost his case, can start the process all over again in a district court with only one side (his) represented.
Your government at work.
