FOLLOW US

A federal judge in Minnesota has ordered a Department of Justice attorney to pay $500 per day until a recently released immigrant receives his identification documents, highlighting ongoing tensions between the U.S. justice system and federal immigration enforcement.

U.S. District Judge Laura M. Provinzino held special assistant U.S. attorney Matthew Isihara in civil contempt for failing to comply with a February 9 court order. The order required the immediate release of Rigoberto Soto Jimenez, a Mexican citizen living in Minnesota with a lawful permanent resident spouse, and mandated the return of all personal property withheld during his time in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody.

The judge’s ruling specifies that the daily fine will continue until Soto Jimenez receives his identification documents. The government must also file a certification of compliance with the court once the documents are returned. Much of the case remains under seal, including the government’s most recent status report.

According to media reports, Soto Jimenez was held at an ICE detention facility in El Paso, Texas, before being released and traveling back to Minnesota. Despite his release, he remained without his personal identification documents, prompting Judge Provinzino’s contempt ruling.

Isihara, who recently served as a captain in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps, admitted to the oversight, describing the situation as “a dropped ball” on his part. He attributed the lapse to the office being understaffed and overburdened. In recent years, staffing shortages and turnover have been significant in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota, with nearly half of the office resigning over the past several years.

The judge’s order follows repeated criticisms of ICE by federal courts for failing to comply with nearly 100 court directives concerning detainee rights. The case underscores the ongoing legal challenges related to immigration enforcement, detainee treatment, and the responsibility of federal officials to follow court orders.

Soto Jimenez is represented by Erin Lins of Zimmer Law Group LLC, while the government is represented by David W. Fuller and Matthew Isihara of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota.

The case, Rigoberto Soto Jimenez v. Pamela Bondi et al., case number 0:26-cv-00957, continues to draw attention for its implications on federal agency accountability and the rights of immigrants in custody. Legal experts say the ruling could set a precedent for courts imposing financial penalties on government attorneys who fail to comply with orders affecting detainees’ fundamental rights.

This incident also reflects broader concerns over the operations of the Department of Justice and ICE, particularly regarding communication, procedural compliance, and the balance between enforcement and legal obligations. Court observers note that such fines, while coercive, aim to ensure accountability and timely action in cases where personal liberties are at stake.

The case remains active, and the court will continue monitoring compliance to ensure that Soto Jimenez receives his identification documents and that similar issues do not recur in future cases.