Top DOJ official asks judges to step aside from immigration cases

What happened: Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward filed motions to disqualify Judges Patrick Schiltz and John Tunheim from two Minnesota immigration cases, citing comments they made to the New York Times about the administration's immigration enforcement. Key numbers: Motions filed Tuesday; Schiltz hearing set for Nov. Why it matters: Legal ethics experts expect the recusal efforts to fail and call the public filings performative, saying the goal is to undermine public confidence in judges who rule against the administration.

Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward filed motions to disqualify Judges Patrick Schiltz and John Tunheim from two Minnesota immigration cases, citing comments they made to the New York Times about the administration's immigration enforcement.

Legal ethics experts expect the recusal efforts to fail and call the public filings performative, saying the goal is to undermine public confidence in judges who rule against the administration.