Link: https://newjerseymonitor.com/2026/02/26/judge-excoriates-feds-migrant-detention-illegal/

A federal judge in New Jersey warned he would order federal prosecutors to answer questions under oath if they continued to seek arrests and detentions under a portion of the federal code already rejected in hundreds of cases.

In a brief opinion issued Thursday that ordered the release of an El Salvadorian immigrant detained by federal authorities, U.S. District Judge Zahid Quraishi said federal authorities’ continued reliance on the statute bespeaks intentional disregard for the law and courts.

Archived at https://web.archive.org/web/20260227131314/https://newjerseymonitor.com/2026/02/26/judge-excoriates-feds-migrant-detention-illegal/

"Excoriates" is a new one. Finally break out the thesaurus there, journos?

But also, are you telling me that they aren't already under oath when in the courtroom?

Federal prosecutors:

EXCORIATES? Wow! THAT will Show them!

I'd be surprised if there wasn't a betting site dedicated to judges actually following through on their threats.

Lawyers are most definitely not under oath in the courtroom. They are under scrutiny of the bar association if they get way out of line, but lawyers can pretty much say whatever they want. It's up to the opposing counsel to object and the judge to keep shit from going off the rails.

If they weren’t SLAMmed then it’s not a real threat.

excoriate /ĭk-skôr′ē-āt″/
transitive verb

• To censure strongly; denounce.
• To criticize (something) harshly.
• To tear, scrape, or wear off (the skin).

Don't think we're lucky enough for it to be #3.

Number 3 is the only definition I knew before this thanks for sharing!

FWIW the skin picking excoriation is actually a psychological disorder, not just idle picking

U.S. District Court Judge Christine O’Hearn issued an order earlier this month that says statements from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey could only be trusted if given under oath. Quraishi quoted from that order in his Thursday opinion.

“Sadly, the well-deserved credibility once attached to that distinguished Office is now a presumption that ‘has been undeniably eroded,’ he wrote.

Buckle up, it feels like we're getting close to writing a strongly worded letter territory here folks.

This is intentional. "The government" is testing the limits to which the law will hold them.

"The government’s continued reliance on the statute, violations of dozens of court orders, and its repeated transfers of immigration detainees in violation of those orders had also harmed credibility of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he said."