- A federal judge reprimanded the Trump administration for claiming that an immigrant seeking release from custody was convicted of marijuana possession in 2009, when he was 4 years old.
- West Virginia District Judge Irene Berger ordered the man's release, citing the government's "sloppiness" and concerns about procedures that deprive individuals of their liberty.
- This rebuke is part of a growing pattern of judges criticizing government lawyers and Homeland Security officials for failing to adhere to court orders in immigration cases.
- Within the last two weeks, at least two government attorneys were held in civil contempt by judges for "flagrant disobedience" and violating orders concerning detainee transfers and the return of identification documents.
- The administration's extensive deportation efforts have generated an avalanche of lawsuits, overwhelming courts and prosecutors, with judges asserting the crisis is of the government's own making.
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