Judge cancels contempt hearing for acting ICE director Todd Lyons
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Acting ICE director Todd Lyons in D.C. on May 14, 2025. Photo: Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg/Getty Images
A contempt hearing for acting ICE director Todd Lyons scheduled for Friday has been canceled by the court, after the immigrant at the center of the case was released from custody on Wednesday.
The big picture: While the hearing is off, the judge said the release does "not end the Court's concerns," citing 96 court orders ICE is accused of violating across 74 cases.
What they're saying: "ICE has likely violated more court orders in January 2026 than some federal agencies have violated in their entire existence," U.S. District Chief Judge Patrick Schiltz said in Wednesday's order.
- "The Court warns ICE that future noncompliance with court orders may result in future show‐cause orders requiring the personal appearances of Lyons or other government officials," he added.
- Graham Ojala-Barbour, the lawyer for detained immigrant Juan Hugo Tobay Robles told Axios: "For ICE, or any agency of the federal government, to violate orders of a federal court should scare anyone concerned about the rule of law."
- "The order from Chief Judge Schiltz helps to restore our sense that ICE is sternly expected to follow the law as are the rest of us," he added.
- ICE did not immediately respond to Axios' Wednesday evening request for comment.
Catch up quick: Tobay Robles entered the U.S. in 1999 as a minor and was taken into ICE custody in Minnesota around Jan 6.
- On Jan. 14, Schiltz upheld prior rulings finding that immigrants living in the U.S. without legal status are not subject to mandatory detentions because they are not considered to be "seeking admission."
- The judge ordered the administration to grant Tobay Robles a bond hearing within seven days — or release him from detention. On Jan. 23, his counsel notified the court that the petitioner had not received the hearing and remained detained.
Schiltz on Monday wrote that "the court's patience is at an end" for dozens of violations from the Trump administration and demanded Lyons to appear in court to explain why ICE has repeatedly ignored judicial orders.
- Tobay Robles' release means Lyons no longer has to appear in court on the matter.
Go deeper: "It was a mess": Inside Trump's pivot on Minnesota
Editor's note: This story has been updated with added context and a statement from Tobay Robles' attorney.
