Minnesota Judge Finds DHS in Contempt for Transferring Detainee Despite Court Order

U.S. District Judge Eric Tostrud said the immigrant’s lawyer had to cover the cost of airfare for his return to Minnesota.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Department of Homeland Security in Washington on Feb. 17, 2026. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

A federal judge on Feb. 23 held the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in civil contempt for transferring a detainee from Minnesota to Texas in violation of a court order.

In an eight-page opinion, U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud of Minnesota ordered that the DHS pay $568.29 in compensation to Fernando Gutierrez Torres, a Mexican citizen, for travel expenses resulting from his transfer.