A federal judge in Florida has ordered the immediate release of an immigration detainee after the government failed to comply with a previous court mandate. Dmitrii Iastrebov, a noncitizen held at the Baker County Detention Facility, was supposed to get a bond hearing last month. The U.S. District Court in Fort Myers ordered the hearing after the government explicitly agreed that Iastrebov was entitled to one. But five days after that order, an immigration judge refused to hold the hearing. The immigration judge claimed Iastrebov was not eligible for bond under the law. Instead of defending the federal court’s mandate, the government’s lawyers simply accepted the refusal and waived their right to an administrative appeal. Iastrebov then filed a renewed petition with the federal court. In response, the government told the federal judge that its previous agreement “was in error.” The government then asked the court to reverse its previous decision and rule that Iastrebov was actually subject to mandatory detention. Judge’s Gavel (Unsplash) The federal court strongly rejected the request in a June 11 order, stating the government was right the first time. The court’s order described the government’s reversal as legally unsupportable and “a masterclass in litigation cynicism.” “A federal court is not a testing lab where the Executive branch can pilot a concession to get a case closed, stand by silently while its own administrative process flouts the resulting mandate, and then stroll back in demanding a clean slate,” the judge wrote in the order. “Give me a break.” The court noted it had already explained in “painstaking detail” why Iastrebov was legally entitled to a bond hearing and that the explanation shouldn’t have required a sequel. Because the government offered “zero assurance” that it would comply with the process it had previously championed, the court decided against ordering a second attempt at a bond hearing. Pointing to the government’s “complete inability to follow judicial directions,” the judge ordered Iastrebov to be released from custody within 48 hours and directed officials to coordinate his pickup with his attorney. READ: South Carolina Lawmakers Lead Bipartisan Push To Keep National Civil Rights Network Alive Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage. Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox