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Bryna Godar

@bgodar

Staff Attorney, State Democracy Research Initiative (@uwlawdemocracy.bsky.social)

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30.10.2023
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Latest posts by Bryna Godar @bgodar

Interested in clerking? Check out this event to learn more about clerking in state supreme courts.

06.03.2026 15:15 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
The abstract of the article, setting out the general findings.

The abstract of the article, setting out the general findings.

The strongest arguments against qualified immunity reform are that lawsuit costs would skyrocket and officer retention would plummet. Alex Reinert, Jim Pfander, and I studied qualified immunity reforms in Colorado and New Mexico and can report: the sky is not falling. papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

04.03.2026 14:47 πŸ‘ 39 πŸ” 16 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

Join us next week for this panel!

27.02.2026 18:33 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
As noted, Rosen asserted in his email that "[t]he lawyers in my civil division
didn't deserve" the supposedly inaccurate January 28 order. Putting aside the fact that
the January 28 order was not inaccurate, Rosen failed to mention that this Court said the
following in the show-cause order that preceded the January 28 order:
The Court expresses its appreciation to attorney Ana Voss and her colleagues [in the civil division], who have struggled mightily to ensure that respondents comply with court orders despite the fact that respondents have failed to provide them with adequate resources.
ECF No. 7 at 2 n.1.
The judges of this District have been extraordinarily patient with the government
attorneys, recognizing that they have been put in an impossible position by Rosen and
his superiors in the Department of Justice (leading many of those attorneys- including, unfortunately, Ana Voss- to resign). What those attorneys "didn't deserve" was the
Administration sending 3000 ICE agents to Minnesota to detain people without making
any provision for handling the hundreds of lawsuits that were sure to follow.

As noted, Rosen asserted in his email that "[t]he lawyers in my civil division didn't deserve" the supposedly inaccurate January 28 order. Putting aside the fact that the January 28 order was not inaccurate, Rosen failed to mention that this Court said the following in the show-cause order that preceded the January 28 order: The Court expresses its appreciation to attorney Ana Voss and her colleagues [in the civil division], who have struggled mightily to ensure that respondents comply with court orders despite the fact that respondents have failed to provide them with adequate resources. ECF No. 7 at 2 n.1. The judges of this District have been extraordinarily patient with the government attorneys, recognizing that they have been put in an impossible position by Rosen and his superiors in the Department of Justice (leading many of those attorneys- including, unfortunately, Ana Voss- to resign). What those attorneys "didn't deserve" was the Administration sending 3000 ICE agents to Minnesota to detain people without making any provision for handling the hundreds of lawsuits that were sure to follow.

If anything is "beyond the pale," it is ICE's continued violation of the orders of
this Court. Increasingly, this Court has had to resort to using the threat of civil
contempt to force ICE to comply with orders. The Court is not aware of another
occasion in the history of the United States in which a federal court has had to threaten
contempt -again and again and again - to force the United States government to comply
with court orders.
-5-
CASE 0:26-cv-00107-PJS-DLM Doc. 12
Filed 02/26/26 Page 6 of 6
This Court will continue to do whatever is required to protect the rule of law,
including, if necessary, moving to the use of criminal contempt. One way or another,
ICE will comply with this Court's orders.
Dated: February 26, 2026
(s/ Patrick J. Schiltz
Patrick J. Schiltz, Chief Judge
United States District Court

If anything is "beyond the pale," it is ICE's continued violation of the orders of this Court. Increasingly, this Court has had to resort to using the threat of civil contempt to force ICE to comply with orders. The Court is not aware of another occasion in the history of the United States in which a federal court has had to threaten contempt -again and again and again - to force the United States government to comply with court orders. -5- CASE 0:26-cv-00107-PJS-DLM Doc. 12 Filed 02/26/26 Page 6 of 6 This Court will continue to do whatever is required to protect the rule of law, including, if necessary, moving to the use of criminal contempt. One way or another, ICE will comply with this Court's orders. Dated: February 26, 2026 (s/ Patrick J. Schiltz Patrick J. Schiltz, Chief Judge United States District Court

BREAKING: Judge Patrick Schiltz in Minnesota threatens criminal contempt, if necessary, to address ICE noncompliance in an order calling out U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen's response to Schiltz's earlier questions about noncompliance with court orders.

"ICE will comply with this Court's orders."

26.02.2026 22:36 πŸ‘ 2278 πŸ” 732 πŸ’¬ 33 πŸ“Œ 64
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Judge Bryan in Minnesota has scheduled a combined contempt hearing in morethan two dozen immigration cases for what he says has been widespread defiance of his orders to ensure released detainees are given their confiscated property. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

26.02.2026 19:54 πŸ‘ 1138 πŸ” 394 πŸ’¬ 22 πŸ“Œ 18
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Join us for the next installment in our Election Matters series, "The Battle Over Mid-Decade Redistricting" on March 6, 3-4:15 pm CT. Panelists will offer an update on mid-decade redistricting and how it may impact the 2026 midterms.
Register here: go.wisc.edu/95y7s8

05.02.2026 17:45 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 2

"[L]ocal police did not open investigations into six of the 12 shootings by on-duty federal agents that have led to the deaths or injuries of citizens and immigrants since September, a ProPublica analysis found."

05.02.2026 18:19 πŸ‘ 9 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Relevant to this essay, UT's Republican governor signed a bill this weekend to add two new supreme court justices that he would appoint. Unlike a constitutional amendment, which goes to voters, the bill did not give voters a chance to directly weigh in. www.sltrib.com/news/politic...

03.02.2026 14:40 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

We argue that state constitutions do not bar efforts to align state courts with popular preferences or the public's vision for the judiciary. But they do require, at a minimum, that outcome-shaping changes receive public engagement and validation--a component that is often lacking today.

30.01.2026 21:46 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1

Nine DAs are coalescing to work on prosecuting federal agents for 'overreach':

β€”L. Krasner in Philly
β€”J. Creuzot in Dallas
β€”M. Moriarty in Minneapolis
β€”L. Conover in Tucson
β€”S. Descano in Fairfax (VA)
β€”R. Fatehi in Norfolk (VA)
β€”S. Morales in Portsmouth (VA)
β€”P. Dehghani-Tafti in Arlington (VA)

28.01.2026 00:41 πŸ‘ 8116 πŸ” 1912 πŸ’¬ 172 πŸ“Œ 239
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DOJ's Oregon case officially dismissed: Yesterday, the judge called a hearing to require DOJ to explain how AG Bondi's weekend demand for MN's voter data in exchange for ICE leaving impacts the OR case. The judge's prior "tentative" dismissal is now final, though an opinion is still forthcoming. 15/

27.01.2026 15:54 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Exploring State Checks Against Federal Overreach Published: August 8, 2025 Updated: January 21, 2026 States have many tools to help counter federal abuses of power. Facing a torrent of controversial federal government actions, states today are pursu...

To learn more about states’ powers in this moment, check out our checks on federal overreach pieces, including on state prosecutions of federal officials and on DOJ’s efforts to access state voter rolls (which Bondi raised in her MN letter yesterday) statedemocracy.law.wisc.edu/research-exp...

25.01.2026 19:16 πŸ‘ 8 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 1
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Are Federal Officials Immune From State Prosecution? Contrary to recent assertions, federal officers do not have blanket immunity from criminal prosecutions brought by states.

It seems timely to re-re-up this crystal clear Nov. 2025 @lawfaremedia.org article explaining precisely when federal officers can and cannot be criminally prosecuted by state authorities. It's by @bgodar.bsky.social of Univ of Wisconsin
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/are-...

25.01.2026 18:46 πŸ‘ 431 πŸ” 207 πŸ’¬ 8 πŸ“Œ 6
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DHS has shot 12 people during immigration enforcement operations since September:

25.01.2026 16:27 πŸ‘ 4779 πŸ” 3150 πŸ’¬ 122 πŸ“Œ 150
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Order on Motion for TRO – #10 in Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension v. Noem (D. Minnesota, 0:26-cv-00628) – CourtListener.com Order on Motion for TRO

BREAKING: Trump-appointed judge blocks FBI/DOJ/DHS from destroying or altering evidence related to shooting of Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis. Judge Eric Tostrud grants TRO & sets Monday hearing. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us... Earlier: www.politico.com/news/2026/01...

25.01.2026 05:18 πŸ‘ 2095 πŸ” 681 πŸ’¬ 83 πŸ“Œ 60
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#1 in Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension v. Noem (D. Minnesota, 0:26-cv-00628) – CourtListener.com COMPLAINT against All Defendants (filing fee $ 405, receipt number AMNDC-12575332) filed by Hennepin County Attorney's Office, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Filer requests summons issued....

BREAKING: MN Bureau of Criminal Apprehension & Hennepin DA file fed lawsuit dmeanding immediate access to federal evidence in DHS agent's deadly shooting of observer during immigration enforcement operation Sat. Doc: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us... Earlier: www.politico.com/news/2026/01...

25.01.2026 03:50 πŸ‘ 1598 πŸ” 555 πŸ’¬ 22 πŸ“Œ 16
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Live: Man shot and killed by federal agents in south Minneapolis this morning, police chief says A video appears to shows federal agents wrestling a man to the ground then shooting him.

The Star Tribune reports that federal agents "attempted to order local police from the scene" where a man was shot and killed by feds this morning, but Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara refused and "instructed his officers to preserve the scene."

24.01.2026 16:40 πŸ‘ 21832 πŸ” 8290 πŸ’¬ 962 πŸ“Œ 648

Great resource from @derekclinger.bsky.social tracking all the DOJ lawsuits seeking states' voter data. Today, a GA district court dismissed one case, finding it was filed in the wrong court. Last week, a CA district court dismissed another case on the merits.

23.01.2026 19:27 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Immigration officers assert sweeping power to enter homes without a judge's warrant, memo says An Immigration and Customs Enforcement memo obtained by The Associated Press reveals that the agency allows immigration officers to forcibly enter homes to make arrests without a judicial warrant.

BREAKING: Immigration officers are asserting sweeping power to enter homes without a judge’s warrant, a memo obtained by AP says.

21.01.2026 21:32 πŸ‘ 11997 πŸ” 7002 πŸ’¬ 1313 πŸ“Œ 1924

Incredible resource! My state supreme court clerkship was an absolutely incredible experience, but the process of getting it was incredibly confusing. This resource is the type of thing I dreamed of when I was a 2L!

21.01.2026 18:05 πŸ‘ 10 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Do ICE Officers Have β€˜Immunity’? States don’t often prosecute federal officers, but they can.

Do ICE Officers Have Immunity?
@hannarosin.bsky.social interviews @bgodar.bsky.social of @uwlawdemocracy.bsky.social for @theatlantic.com: "There are several cases where federal courts have recognized that federal officers do not have absolute immunity." www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/202...

15.01.2026 23:23 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

President Trump is threatening to use the Insurrection Act to deploy military to Minnesota. To learn more about the act and its limits, check out this explainer from @brennancenter.org

15.01.2026 15:43 πŸ‘ 13 πŸ” 7 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 1
Explainer: Can the Federal Government Force States to Hand Over Citizens’ Voter Information? Derek Clinger, Senior Counsel PDF Available Here Published: December 19, 2025 In late October 2025, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson released an unusual video message β€œwarning” the state’s r...

1/ Starting a thread to track the DOJ voter data litigation as courts begin hearing these cases. So far, DOJ has sued 23 states + DC for refusing to hand over sensitive voter data like SSNs and driver's license numbers.

My full analysis: statedemocracy.law.wisc.edu/featured/202...

14.01.2026 14:04 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Minnesota v. Noem caption

Minnesota v. Noem caption

BREAKING: Minnesota, Minneapolis, and St. Paul sue Noem and others over DHS immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota, seeking TRO to block the surge and stop unlawful actions detailed in the complaint.

12.01.2026 21:55 πŸ‘ 3697 πŸ” 985 πŸ’¬ 28 πŸ“Œ 52
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Live: FBI pushes Minnesota investigators aside in ICE shooting probe The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said the FBI had β€˜reversed course’ on a joint investigation. Meanwhile, protesters gathered at the Whipple Federal Building after thousands attended vigil...

The MN Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said Thursday that the FBI had taken over the investigation. β€œThe FBI informed the BCA that the U.S. Attorney’s Office had reversed course: the investigation would now be led solely by the FBI,” the BCA said in a statement. www.startribune.com/ice-raids-mi...

08.01.2026 17:17 πŸ‘ 9 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Hundreds protest in Minneapolis after ICE officer kills Renee Nicole Macklin Good An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed Minneapolis motorist Renee Nicole Macklin Good on Wednesday.

The Hennepin County Attorney's Office said yesterday that they have jurisdiction to bring charges and will wait for the investigation to play out before making any charging decisions: apnews.com/live/minneap...

08.01.2026 15:09 πŸ‘ 17 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Minnesota Could Prosecute the ICE Shooter. Trump Can’t Pardon Him. Shortly after an ICE officer shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis, city leaders began looking into whether the officer had violated state criminal law.

Wrote a piece for @slate.com explaining that states have a long history of prosecuting federal officers when they allegedly use excessive force. Federal officers are only immune from such prosecutions when they act reasonably in carrying out lawful duties.

07.01.2026 23:29 πŸ‘ 2925 πŸ” 1058 πŸ’¬ 60 πŸ“Œ 50
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Are Federal Officials Immune From State Prosecution? Contrary to recent assertions, federal officers do not have blanket immunity from criminal prosecutions brought by states.

Might be a good time to re-up this @lawfaremedia.org piece by @bgodar.bsky.social
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/are-...

07.01.2026 21:45 πŸ‘ 377 πŸ” 168 πŸ’¬ 9 πŸ“Œ 4

In case you're wondering, yes, states can prosecute federal officials if they act beyond the scope of their duties, violate federal law, or behave in an egregious or unwarranted manner. More info here: statedemocracy.law.wisc.edu/featured/202...

07.01.2026 19:13 πŸ‘ 23 πŸ” 11 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1

All fifty states have laws criminalizing various forms of corruption. While many are limited to state and local officials, a few states' laws expressly cover federal officials too, potentially offering a pathway for addressing federal corruption.

10.12.2025 16:54 πŸ‘ 9 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0