TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — Faced with an influx of petitions by people alleging they're being unlawfully detained by federal immigration authorities, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington said Monday that it no longer has the manpower to defend every case and will let judges rule without government opposition.
Acting U.S. Attorney Charles Floyd said in a letter to U.S. District Judge David Estudillo that habeas corpus cases initiate “protracted litigation” with numerous hearings, briefings and motions that consume prosecutors' resources.
“Thus, going forward, in order to conserve resources, there will be many habeas cases in which the USAO will no longer assume responsibility for providing a defense on behalf of the respondents," Floyd wrote.
The backlog has “severely impacted the government's ability to respond” to immigration petitions and prevented prosecutors from dealing with other unrelated civil litigation, he said. As a result, his office will decline to defend “many” habeas cases. He didn't specify how many cases could be affected.
Judges have often ruled against the administration in cases filed by tens of thousands of detainees arguing that they were being held illegally by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It has been a source of great frustration to administration officials — and to judges and advocates who say ICE has trampled on individual rights amid the Trump administration’s hardline immigration agenda.
Last week, U.S. border czar Tom Homan told Fox News that courts have been weighed down by about 85,000 immigration habeas cases as the government carries out a sweeping crackdown.
Floyd is a former judge who, along with three other Washington judges, advocated for prohibiting immigration courts from granting bond to detainees — a question that is now before the U.S. Supreme Court.
The justices will consider whether immigrants who have been living in the U.S. have a right to a hearing to determine if they should remain detained while challenging their possible deportation.
Most appeals courts to have considered the issue have found that it violates federal law to detain immigrants, including those living in the U.S. illegally, without a bond hearing. Those decisions conflict with rulings by the 5th and 8th circuits, which held that immigrants accused of illegally entering and remaining in the U.S. must be detained while their deportation cases are pending.
FILE - Barbed wire fencing is shown behind a gate to a recreation yard used by detainees during a media tour of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center, on Dec. 16, 2019, in Tacoma, Wash. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
FILE - In this image made from video, former immigration judge and current First Assistant United States Attorney Charles Neil Floyd speaks during an interview, on Feb. 6, 2026, at the Western District of Washington offices in Seattle. (AP Photo/Cedar Attanasio, File)
It took the Detroit Tigers less than a month of watching Kevin McGonigle at the big-league level to decide he was worthy of a nine-figure contract.
Seven months later, McGonigle rewarded that confidence by becoming the runaway winner of the American League Rookie of the Year award Monday night. Cincinnati Reds slugger Sal Stewart — another precocious hitter — took home the National League honor after anchoring the middle of the team's lineup all season.
McGonigle played most of the season at just 21 years old and had a .278 batting average and .806 OPS with 18 homers, 72 RBIs, 28 doubles and 12 stolen bases while splitting time between shortstop and third base. He's the first Tigers player to win the award since pitcher Michael Fulmer in 2016 and the first Detroit infielder since Lou Whitaker in 1978.
McGonigle's most remarkable trait might have been his consistency, providing steady production over the long MLB season.
“I'm trying to play my part and trying to help this team as much as I can and that's what drives me every day,” McGonigle said. “On the days you're tired, the days you need to rest, you've got to go out, lace the cleats up and go out for the guys in the clubhouse and this organization.”
The Tigers thought enough of McGonigle's potential that they signed him to a $150 million, eight-year deal in April, just a few weeks into his rookie season. He responded with a stellar all-around season that earned him an All-Star nod and helped the Tigers remain in the playoff race for much of the summer.
Stewart, 22, was a force for the Reds with 32 homers and 112 RBIs while playing in all 162 games, including 161 starts. He’s the ninth Cincinnati player to win the award and first since infielder Jonathan India in 2021. He was the first NL first baseman to take top rookie honors since Pete Alonso with the New York Mets in 2019.
Much like McGonigle, two of Stewart's best qualities were consistency and availability. The 6-foot-1, 224-pound first baseman was a first-round draft pick in 2022 after getting selected out of a Miami high school and said playing all 162 games was his favorite accomplishment this season.
McGonigle received 28 of 30 first-place votes and finished with 204 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America conducted before the postseason.
The other two AL finalists were Cleveland Guardians left-hander Parker Messick and Boston Red Sox lefty Payton Tolle. Messick came in second, earning the other two first-place votes and 122 points after going 12-9 with a 2.56 ERA and 193 strikeouts. He is also a finalist for the AL Cy Young Award to be announced Wednesday.
Tolle was third with 54 points. He had a 9-6 record with a 3.03 ERA and 171 strikeouts.
Stewart was selected first on 20 of 30 ballots and finished with 170 points.
The other NL finalists were New York Mets outfielder Carson Benge and St. Louis Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt. Benge finished with second with seven first-place votes and 107 points after hitting 20 homers and stealing 22 bases as a bright spot in a down year for the Mets.
Wetherholt hit .242 with 17 homers while playing excellent defense. He finished third with three first-place votes and 99 points.
By winning Rookie of the Year, McGonigle and Stewart each earned his team an extra pick after the first round of the 2027 amateur draft.
AL and NL Manager of the Year awards will be announced Tuesday.
See AP’s full MLB coverage here
FILE - New York Mets' Carson Benge waits on a pitch during an at-bat in a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Sept. 22, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)
FILE - Cincinnati Reds' Sal Stewart bats during a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Sept. 12, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash, File)
FILE - Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Payton Tolle delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Sept. 22, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)
FILE - Cleveland Guardians pitcher Parker Messick throws against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning in Game 5 of an American League Championship Series baseball game in Cleveland, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)
FILE - Detroit Tigers' Kevin McGonigle runs out a double against the Washington Nationals during the third inning of a baseball game, Sept. 23, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)
