Justice Department Accuses Minnesota Federal Judges of Misconduct Over Times Interviews

The U.S. Department of Justice has accused federal judges in Minnesota of misconduct after they gave interviews to The New York Times touching on immigration-related matters, according to CNBC.

The department is seeking to have the judges recused from any cases involving the Department of Homeland Security, arguing that their conversations with the newspaper compromised the appearance of impartiality required in immigration-related proceedings.

The complaint centers on the judges' decision to discuss aspects of their work with reporters, a step the Justice Department contends crossed ethical boundaries for members of the federal judiciary. The available reporting does not specify how many judges are named in the complaint or the exact content of their remarks to the Times.

It was not immediately clear how the judges involved, the Minnesota federal court system, or judicial oversight bodies have responded to the Justice Department's complaint. It also remains unclear what immigration cases, if any, would be directly affected should the recusal request be granted.

The dispute adds to ongoing tension between the Trump administration's Justice Department and members of the federal bench over the handling of immigration enforcement cases.