Testy exchanges over immigration cases highlight growing confrontations between judges and DOJ

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A federal judge has clashed with Minnesota’s top federal prosecutor in what he called a series of “testy and frosty” exchanges. The encounter Tuesday (March 3, 2026) happened during an unusual contempt hearing that highlights a growing wave of confrontations across the U.S. between increasingly frustrated judges and a Department of Justice that sometimes appears unable to keep up with cases from Trump’s immigration crackdown. U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen at one point accused the judge of smearing him. There’s been an increase in recent weeks of judges issuing critical and sometimes scathing statements and rulings over fallout from the administration’s attempts at mass immigrant deportations, often citing violations of due process and standards for treatment.