Rhode Island Judge Rebukes ICE and US Attorney’s Office for Concealing Murder Warrant, Orders Re-Detention of Immigrant

A federal judge in Rhode Island has exposed a troubling cover-up by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the US attorney’s office after they concealed from the court a homicide warrant against Bryan Rafael Gómez, a 27-year-old undocumented immigrant. Judge Melissa R. DuBose ordered Gómez re-detained this week, criticizing the “massive breach” of trust and initiating a formal disciplinary review of the US attorney’s office for withholding key information at ICE’s request.

Gómez had been released last week after filing a habeas corpus petition challenging his detention, a move that drew swift condemnation from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DHS labeled DuBose an “activist judge” and blasted her for freeing “a violent criminal illegal alien.” But DuBose was never informed of the murder warrant because ICE instructed the US attorney’s office not to disclose it, citing a lack of “use authorization” from Dominican authorities.

The warrant alleges Gómez shot and killed a man in the Dominican Republic in March 2021, but Gómez’s attorney, Melanie Shapiro, questions its validity and points out Gómez fled his home country fearing gang violence. Gómez has been seeking asylum in the US and is married to a US citizen.

Judge DuBose made clear that had she known about the warrant, she would not have granted Gómez’s release. She condemned the ethical lapses that allowed ICE to manipulate the court and vowed to prevent such abuses from recurring.

This case underscores the dangerous and opaque practices ICE employs to detain immigrants without proper judicial oversight. By hiding critical information, ICE and the US attorney’s office not only undermine justice but also weaponize the immigration system against vulnerable people seeking safety.

Only Clowns Are Orange will continue to track these abuses, demanding transparency and accountability from the agencies entrusted with upholding the law. The integrity of our courts and the rights of immigrants depend on it.