A federal judge in Rhode Island has condemned U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for a public attack on one of his colleagues. The attack, according to Chief Judge John McConnell, put the colleague, District Judge Melissa DuBose, in personal danger and undermined public faith in the federal courts.

Background of the Case

The controversy began when Judge DuBose ordered the release of an illegal immigrant, Bryan Rafael Gomez, who was being held in ICE custody. Following the release, ICE published a press release describing Judge DuBose as an “activist Biden judge” who had knowingly released a “violent criminal illegal alien” wanted for murder in the Dominican Republic.

However, according to Judge McConnell, this statement was false and misleading. He noted that Judge DuBose had made her decision based on the information available to her at the time and that she had not been aware of the homicide warrant.

Investigation and Findings

A special counsel appointed by Judge McConnell found that a Justice Department attorney, Kevin Bolan, had made a serious ethical violation by withholding information about the homicide warrant from the court. However, the special counsel concluded that Bolan should not face formal disciplinary proceedings.

Judge McConnell criticized Bolan for his actions, stating that he had failed to prioritize his duty to the court over the instructions of his client. However, he also noted that Bolan had apologized for his actions and had otherwise participated responsibly in the cases he had handled.

The incident is part of a series of professional mishaps by Justice Department lawyers that have frustrated federal judges. Earlier this month, another judge in Rhode Island referred several government attorneys for disciplinary proceedings after their conduct in a case raised questions about whether they were acting improperly in court.

Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.