U.S. President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum attend a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 29, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo
Politico legal reporter Kyle Cheney wrote on X that the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security may get hauled into court if an angry New Jersey Judge has anything to say about it.
Over the past months, news outlets have reported that judges at the magistrate and federal levels have reached their limits with ill-prepared or inexperienced DOJ lawyers, lies by prosecutors, and Homeland Security staff who refuse to follow their court orders.
Such was the case in New Jersey on Thursday when U.S. District Court Judge Zahid N. Quraishi demanded the immediate release of a 29-year-old native and citizen of El Salvador
"Arguably worse, while the procedures for the Government's immigration arrests and detention may have had the initial appearance of negligence, they have since slid downward into manifest recklessness," the judge wrote in the ruling.
"Immigrants are swept up into custody and shifted repeatedly around the country without warning or explanation. Efforts by the Court in this District to protect detainees' rights have been largely frustrated by the Government. Earlier this month, the U.S. Attorney's Office conceded to violating 72 orders issued in immigration habeas corpus cases in this District alone," the judge continued. 'That number by itself is objectively appalling, but at least one judge has indicated that it was underreported. The U.S. Attorney's Office couched these violations as unintentional."
The second Cheney pointed out ended by saying, "Sadly, the well-deserved credibility once attached to that distinguished Office is now a presumption that 'has been undeniably eroded.' The Government's continued actions after being called to task can now only be deemed intentional. The Undersigned will not stand idly by and allow this intentional misconduct to go on. It ends today."