Federal judge refuses to recuse himself from Minnesota DHS, ICE case

A federal judge in Minnesota declined to step aside from an immigration-related case despite a conflict-of-interest challenge tied to his spouse's legal work.

In its filing, DOJ emphasized that federal law requires recusal when "a judge's impartiality might reasonably be questioned," noting the standard is meant to avoid even "the appearance of partiality" - noting that "public perceptions of partiality can undermine confidence in the courts."

According to the filing, both cases allege that federal agents conducted "warrantless arrests," engaged in "racial profiling," and "terrorized, assaulted, and harassed" individuals.

The department also noted that Bryan "did not disclose his marriage relationship" to the parties, arguing that disclosure is a prerequisite for any waiver of potential conflicts under federal law.

Fox News' David Spunt contributed to this report.