In Boston, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent has been found in contempt of court by a judge for detaining a suspect during his trial.
The incident occurred when ICE agent Brian Sullivan apprehended Wilson Martell-Lebron as he exited the courthouse.
Judge Mark Summerville reprimanded Sullivan on Monday, stating that his actions denied Martell-Lebron his rights to due process and a fair trial.
“This is about upholding a defendant’s right to be present at trial and challenge the witnesses against him,” Judge Summerville declared.
“The severity of this cannot be overstated.”
Following the arrest, Judge Summerville dismissed the charges against Martell-Lebron, which involved making false statements on his driver’s license application.
Subsequently, he filed a contempt charge against Sullivan.
The ruling may prompt Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden to review and potentially file charges.
Ryan Sullivan, one of Martell-Lebron’s attorneys, voiced his outrage, calling it “an egregious violation of justice” to detain someone without identification and deny their constitutional right to a jury trial.
ICE has yet to comment on the matter.
This incident marks another point of contention in the ongoing struggles between ICE and Boston’s approach to immigration enforcement.
Critics, including President Donald Trump’s former border czar Tom Homan, have accused Boston of inadequately collaborating to deport individuals charged with violent offenses.
Mayor Michelle Wu, a Democrat seeking reelection, advocated for Boston to remain a welcoming haven for immigrants, highlighting city policies aimed at limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
At the scene, Sullivan described how ICE agents intercepted Martell-Lebron, failing to identify themselves, before whisking him away in a vehicle.
This occurred as the trial had only just commenced with opening statements and witness testimonies.
Currently held at the Plymouth detention center, Martell-Lebron, originally from the Dominican Republic, faces allegations of being an undocumented immigrant.
“Had ICE presented him in court after his arrest, we wouldn’t have sought dismissal or sanctions and would have continued with the trial,” stated Sullivan.
During Trump’s presidency, ICE presence at courthouses surged, sparking dissent among judges and officeholders.
Trump annulled a 2011 policy restricting arrests at schools, religious sites, and hospitals.
Under present rules, ICE can arrest individuals near courthouses if they have credible evidence of the individual’s presence, except where prohibited by state or local regulations.
Sullivan disclosed at the hearing that lead prosecutors confirmed Massachusetts State police were informed of ICE’s plan to arrest Martell-Lebron.
Massachusetts State Police issued a statement asserting their neutrality upon understanding ICE’s intentions, emphasizing non-assistance or obstruction of federal actions.
Spokesperson James Borghesani from Suffolk County District Attorney’s office voiced surprise and dismay at ICE’s interference with the trial, asserting they were not complicit in obstructing Martell-Lebron’s rights.
The contempt charge now resides with the Suffolk district attorney’s office, which is initiating a review.
The judicial landscape in Massachusetts has previously grappled with ICE’s courtroom presence, exemplified by past legal challenges.
In 2019, Massachusetts district attorneys filed a suit against federal authorities to cease courthouse arrests, withdrawing it post-Biden’s election.
Moreover, Newton District Judge Shelley Joseph faced, and subsequently dismissed, charges of facilitating an undocumented immigrant’s evasion from arrest, upon admitting to examination by an oversight body.