DOJ seeks sanctions against judges over comments on Trump immigration policy

The U.S. Justice Department has filed a misconduct complaint against Minnesota federal judges over interviews in which they criticised the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement actions.

The Washington Times reported that the department asked the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals to investigate and require the judges to recuse themselves from cases involving the Department of Homeland Security.

“These judges should be ordered to recuse from any matters involving DHS because the public reasonably questions their impartiality in cases involving immigration,” DOJ officials Trent McCotter and Stanley Woodward said.

The complaint followed interviews several judges gave to The New York Times about immigration enforcement in Minnesota.

Rebeccah Parks, a spokesperson for the judges, defended their actions, saying the comments were “well within the ethical rules.”

“Our judges acted within this capacity,” she said.

The complaint alleges the interviews undermined confidence in judicial impartiality, while the judges maintain they were addressing judicial independence and rule-of-law issues.