Bill Glahn provides some of the necessary background to the Johnny Paycheck/”Take This Job and Shove It” outburst of one lawyer — Julie Le — who has represented the United States in habeas cases pending in federal court here. Earlier this week she appeared before Judge Jerry Blackwell in St. Paul.
The background to the hearing is the flood of habeas petitions that have been filed on behalf of scores of illegal aliens whom ICE has taken into custody during Operation Metro Surge. To say the least, we don’t have much of a window into the cases, so we don’t have all of the background.
Just about everything of interest in these cases is filed under seal. The cases seem to trigger instantaneous court orders to which the government is to respond. Minnesota’s federal bench is making life tough for the government.
What is happening here? Despite his best efforts, Bill can’t quite figure it out. One court order that Bill has reviewed in these cases “is the judge’s order (Document No. 10) allowing the case to proceed in secret. I’m not kidding.”
Ms. Le was ordered to show up at a contempt hearing before Judge Blackwell. She came up with famous last words in her capacity representing the United States. She said she “stupidly” volunteered to lend the United States Attorney’s Office here a hand to help with the habeas claims. She had been representing DHS as an attorney for ICE in deportation proceedings (administrative in nature).
“I am here with you, your honor. What do you want me to do? The system sucks. This job sucks,” Le said. “I am trying every breath that I have so that I can get you what you need.” She all but invited Judge Blackwell to hold her in contempt and incaracerate her so she could get some sleep.
According to the AP, Ms. Le has been yanked from her position with the Department of Justice. Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Le was a probationary attorney. “This conduct is unprofessional and unbecoming of an ICE attorney in abandoning her obligation to act with commitment, dedication, and zeal to the interests of the United States Government,” McLaughlin said in a statement.
