The downtown St. Paul courtroom was packed with counsel for nearly two dozen petitioners, as well as members of the media.

The questioning between Bryan and Rosen got off to a tense start.

Bryan said he was hopeful he wouldn’t have to hold Rosen in contempt, something the judge said would be “a low point” for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Rosen contended the court doesn’t have the ability to hold him in contempt and accused the judge of “smearing” him and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Fuller, who serves as the acting chief of the Civil Rights Division of the Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Fuller and Toria Rich, the deputy Minneapolis field office director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), were also ordered to appear at Tuesday’s hearing.

The hearing could have potentially been cancelled if the federal government returned the items before Tuesday. Rosen during Tuesday’s hearing stated that the government had complied in all the cases except two.

After a tense hour of questioning, Bryan called a brief recess. Rosen and attorneys for the petitioners spent the time negotiating and 12 cases were dismissed afterwards.

More discussion is expected to occur over the lunch break, which is scheduled to end at 1:30 p.m.