Exclusive--DHS Official: Sanctuary Judges Now 'On Notice' After Judge is Reprimanded for Helping Illegal Alien Evade ICE

Sanctuary judges are “on notice” after the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court formally reprimanded Judge Shelley Joseph for seemingly helping an illegal alien evade Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) General Counsel James Percival told Breitbart News.

In April 2018, illegal alien Oscar Manuel Peguero, whose alias is Jose Medina-Perez, was in court in Massachusetts after he had been arrested for drug possession. At the time, Peguero had an outstanding warrant for being a fugitive from justice in Pennsylvania.

ICE agents had lodged a detainer against Peguero the day he was arrested for drug possession. The detainer, though, was not honored. In court, where Judge Joseph presided over the case, ICE agents were outside the courtroom ready to arrest Peguero.

Joseph, prosecutors say, let Peguero go out of the courtroom through a back exit door to evade the ICE agents waiting to arrest him. The next year, Joseph was charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice, aiding and abetting obstruction of justice, and aiding and abetting obstruction of a federal proceeding.

By 2022, the Biden administration dropped the charges against Joseph. On September 10, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court gave Joseph a formal reprimand, stating that she “created an appearance of impropriety in violation of her duties” by having the audio recording of the case shut off.

Percival told Breitbart News that the reprimand puts sanctuary judges “on notice.”

“This judicial misconduct reflects what DHS is facing across the country,” Percival said. “Certain judges think it is their duty to undermine, rather than enforce, federal immigration law. Helping illegal aliens escape from immigration officers is a felony. Sanctuary politicians and sanctuary judges alike are on notice.”

Peguero first illegally entered the United States when he flew into Boston, Massachusetts, in January 2003 and claimed to be an American citizen. That same month, he was arrested and deported.

In April 2007, Peguero illegally crossed the southern border through New Mexico and was arrested by Border Patrol agents. In June 2007, Peguero was deported for the second time. At a later, unknown date, he illegally crossed the border again.

John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jbinder@breitbart.com.