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    Sanctuary City Legal Plot to Help Illegals Evade ICE Exposed in Leaked Lawyer Emails

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    Leaked email exchanges between defense attorneys in the Minneapolis area have revealed coordinated efforts to protect undocumented immigrants; these efforts aimed to prevent apprehension by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The email communications occurred within a private Minnesota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (MACDL) group and focused on opting into virtual court appearances via Zoom to avoid ICE deportations for undocumented immigrants.

    For context, Federal laws such as Title 8 U.S.C. § 1324 explicitly prohibit harboring undocumented immigrants or aiding their evasion of detection. The content in these emails has sparked debate over ethical and legal boundaries in sanctuary jurisdictions. The case continues the ongoing tensions between federal immigration enforcement and local sanctuary policies.

    The emails, dated February 6, 2025, were leaked on March 17 alongside Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s public announcement stating that the law prohibits state and local agencies from detaining individuals based solely on immigration detainers. Ellison’s statement underscored Minneapolis’ sanctuary city designation, which intensified conflicts between local sanctuary policies and the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement stance.

    The criminal defense lawyers attempted to obstruct federal law enforcement activities in the email chain by coordinating their loopholes for letting illegal immigrants avoid ICE. Fox News reported on the email scandal, the thread started when an attorney said, “LRC just got word that plain-clothed ICE officers have been spotted at the Hennepin County PSF today. Let’s do all we can to keep our clients safe in these difficult times.”

    Fox News reported on the chain of emails that followed, if successful, the plan would have undermined President Trump’s executive orders aimed at addressing illegal immigration. A response to the previous email said, “I was thinking we may want to have a conversation within the organization about pooling together and asking to convert hearings to Zoom for clients we think would be targeted by ICE.”

    The lawyers succeeded in getting multiple court sessions moved online to Zoom. Fox News reported that one of the attorneys responded in the email chain: “I called the court’s clerk and orally requested a Zoom appearance. I explained the immigration circumstances and why I didn’t want to lay them all out in a motion that may get reviewed by ICE. Shortly thereafter, I got an email authorizing my client to appear by Zoom (I must appear in person). The prosecutor was copied on the email but not consulted on the request. Thank you all for your advice!”

    The issue extends beyond attorneys seeking loopholes around ICE; sympathetic judges also circumvent President Trump’s direct orders. Another email in the chain reported by Fox News confirms this by saying, “Select judges in the Third District proactively reached out to the PD’s office and prosecutors down here to state that they encourage Zoom requests on any cases with immigration issues for State or Defense in light of ICE showing up at courthouses and that requests will be ‘liberally’ granted. So ask for Zoom!”

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    As for the implications of the coordinated attempt to obstruct federal law, Jim Schultz, president of the Minnesota Private Business Counsel and former candidate for Minnesota Attorney General, voiced his expert opinion on Fox News, indicating the criminal defense attorneys’ email discussions about efforts to thwart ICE are “outrageous.” He warned that the efforts of the (MACDL) group could raise serious legal questions regarding the appropriate use of court resources and potential obstruction of federal law enforcement. Here is a clip from an X user of former Minnesota AG candidate Jim Schultz discussing the efforts to thwart ICE in leaked emails; check it out: