Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar 1/27/26: Trump Retreats In MN, Judge Showdown Over ICE, Trump Forgets Word Alzheimer's
Jan 27, 2026
Kyle Cheney, Politico senior legal affairs reporter who tracks immigration and federal courts, explains the legal fights over ICE in Minnesota. He discusses the state lawsuit to halt Operation Metro Surge, a judge ordering the ICE director to appear, and patterns of allegedly illegal detentions. The conversation focuses on courtroom tactics, contempt challenges, and what would count as a real policy retreat.
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Legal Argument: Surge As Federal Coercion
- Minnesota's lawsuit argues the federal surge coerced state policy and may violate limits on federal coercion of states.
- Kyle Cheney links this argument to Supreme Court precedent restricting federal use of funding as a policy cudgel.
Judge Threatens Contempt Over ICE Violations
- Judge Schiltz threatened ICE director Todd Lyons with contempt for repeated violations of court orders amid a flood of illegal-detention rulings.
- Cheney notes contempt is rarely effective but signals escalating judicial frustration and potential consequences.
Thousands Of Detention Rulings Against ICE
- Kyle Cheney tracked ~2,300 cases where judges found ICE detentions unlawful under a new mandatory-detention interpretation.
- The rulings show courts broadly view the administration's reinterpretation as overreach harming long-term residents.