Judge indicted for allegedly sneaking immigrant out of courthouse to thwart ICE by CEDickson
A Massachusetts District Court judge has been charged with obstruction of justice and suspended without pay for allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant avoid federal immigration agents by allowing him to sneak out the back entrance of the courthouse after a hearing last year.
The case revolves around Jose Medina-Perez, a Dominican national who was arrested by Newton, Mass., police in March of last year and charged with drug possession. According to court documents, Medina-Perez, who was believed to be the subject of an outstanding warrant on a drunk driving charge, had been deported twice previously. ICE requested police to hold him until he could be placed in their custody.
The fugitive warrant was dropped when prosecutors discovered they had the wrong man and the judge determined he did not need to be held on the drug charge. Informed that an ICE agent was waiting outside, Joseph said “I’m not going to allow them to come in here.”He was captured by ICE later that month, and has since been released on bond awaiting an immigration hearing, currently scheduled for July.
“It is a bedrock principle of our constitutional system that federal prosecutors should not recklessly interfere with the operation of state courts and their administration of justice,” Healey said in a statement Thursday. “I am deeply disappointed by U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling’s misuse of prosecutorial resources and the chilling effect his actions will have.”
Sanctuary cities have been the subject of regular attacks by President Trump, who issued an executive order to block federal funding for such jurisdictions shortly after taking office. Attempts by the Justice Department under former Attorney General Jeff Sessions to carry out that order, however, have been repeatedly blocked by the courts.
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