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Federal Attorney Faces Contempt Ruling Over Immigration Case Violations

KVIA•Thursday, February 19, 2026 at 6:05 PM•CNN Newsource

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A Minnesota federal judge has held a Trump administration attorney, Matthew Isihara, in civil contempt for failing to comply with court orders related to an immigration case. This ruling marks a significant moment as it is the first instance of a federal attorney facing such sanctions during President Trump's second term. Judge Laura Provinzino imposed a daily fine of $500 starting Friday until the identification documents of a Mexican national, unlawfully detained, are returned. The judge criticized the government's handling of the case, emphasizing that staffing issues do not excuse disobedience to court orders. This ruling highlights ongoing compliance issues within the Justice Department regarding immigration cases, which have been a growing concern in multiple jurisdictions.

Key Details: • Matthew Isihara must pay $500 daily starting Friday until documents are returned. • The affected individual is a Mexican national unlawfully detained since 2018. • Judge Provinzino ordered the return of documents due to multiple violations of court orders. • Compliance issues are widespread, affecting immigration cases across the U.S.

immigration court trump justice-department contempt

People & Organizations

TexasJustice DepartmentMinnesotaLaura ProvinzinoMatthew Isihara

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