The Department of Justice has admitted in a court filing that it violated over 50 court orders in immigration cases. This number only covers cases in New Jersey and only since December 5. The filing revealed 54 violations across 547 immigration cases handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.
Jordan Fox, who serves as chief of staff to the U.S. deputy attorney general, associate deputy attorney general, and special attorney for the U.S. According to Mediaite, the Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, submitted an 11-page declaration and an accompanying letter.
Fox took a softer tone than previous statements from DOJ and ICE attorneys, who had often insisted there was no wrongdoing and had tried to blame “rogue judges.” In his letter, Fox stated, “we regret deeply all violations for which our Office is responsible,” adding that “Those violations were unintentional and immediately rectified once we learned of them.” He also said he believes the Department of Homeland Security’s violations were unintentional as well.
The scale of the violations points to a serious breakdown in process
The declaration listed a wide range of violations, including six missed answer deadlines and twelve missed bond hearing deadlines. The DOJ has also drawn scrutiny for how it has been used to control the legal system, and this case adds to that pattern. The DOJ also admitted to 17 transfers of detainees that happened after court injunctions were issued to stop those transfers, and several of those detainees still have not been returned.
There was also an additional post-injunction deportation to Peru. Three ICE detainees were not released on time, and three others were released late after their court-ordered deadlines. Additionally, there were ten instances of incomplete compliance with evidentiary production, along with other missed deadlines.
Judge Michael Farbiarz of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey had ordered this declaration. He praised Fox’s filings as “careful, thorough, and plainly the product of a great deal of work,” but clearly stated that the number of violations was “extremely troubling.”
The judge wrote that “Judicial orders should never be violated. And they very rarely are, especially not by federal officials.” He also noted that a heavy caseload is not an excuse, even if it is “an accurate diagnosis of the issue.” Judge Farbiarz has ordered the office to file an affidavit by February 25, detailing the steps being taken to ensure full compliance with court orders in New Jersey.
This situation is part of broader criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, which has led to nationwide protests and multiple court challenges. The DOJ has also faced separate controversies, including its decision to withhold the remaining Epstein files, which has added to growing public distrust of the department.
Earlier this month, an ICE attorney assisting the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota complained during a hearing that “the system sucks, this job sucks” and asked the judge to hold her in contempt so she could get “a full 24 hours of sleep.”
Published: Feb 19, 2026 09:09 am