By Sudhir Choudhary | March 12, 2026
A former attorney who represented the U.S. government in immigration cases and drew national attention after telling a federal judge she was overwhelmed by her workload has announced plans to run for Congress in Minnesota.
The lawyer, Julie Le, previously worked with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and was temporarily assigned to assist federal prosecutors during a surge of immigration-related litigation in Minnesota. Her remarks during a court hearing earlier this year — in which she described the immigration system as dysfunctional and said her job “sucks” — were captured in court transcripts and widely reported.
According to reports, Le has now launched a campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives and plans to run as a Democrat for Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District seat.
Courtroom Incident Drew National Attention
Le became the focus of national media coverage during a February court hearing before U.S. District Judge Jerry Blackwell in St. Paul, Minnesota. At the hearing, she told the judge that the legal system handling immigration cases was under intense pressure.
Court transcripts show that Le said she was attempting to comply with judicial orders despite what she described as systemic difficulties and heavy caseloads. She told the court that government lawyers were struggling to keep up with the volume of litigation tied to a large immigration enforcement operation in the region.
Records indicate that Le had been assigned dozens of immigration cases within a short period, contributing to what she described as being overwhelmed by the workload.
Following the hearing and the public reaction to her remarks, federal officials removed her from the Justice Department assignment, citing unprofessional conduct.
Congressional Campaign in Minnesota
Le has announced she will seek election to represent Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, a seat currently held by Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar, who has served in Congress since 2019.
According to statements reported by local media, Le intends to campaign on issues including immigration reform, access to education funding, and healthcare policy.
Her campaign launch comes amid heightened political attention on immigration policy following expanded enforcement operations and legal challenges related to immigration arrests in Minnesota.
Immigration Policy Remains a Central Issue
The Minnesota congressional race is expected to unfold against the backdrop of broader national debates over immigration enforcement and the role of federal agencies such as ICE.
President Donald Trump’s administration has expanded immigration enforcement operations across several U.S. cities, leading to increased court challenges and heightened scrutiny of federal immigration policies.
Le has stated that her experiences working inside the immigration legal system influenced her decision to enter politics and advocate for changes to the system.
The outcome of the race will be determined in the upcoming congressional election cycle, though analysts note that Minnesota’s 5th District has historically leaned strongly Democratic.
Sources: Associated Press; FOX 9 Minneapolis; The Independent; federal court records.
Tags: U.S. Politics, Immigration Policy, Minnesota, Julie Le, ICE, Congressional Elections
News by The Vagabond News.
