Massachusetts Judge Might Face Prosecution for Allegedly Blocking ICE Arrest

Massachusetts Judge Might Face Prosecution for Allegedly Blocking ICE Arrest
After facing obstruction of justice charges, District Court Judge Shelley M. Richmond Joseph departs federal court in Boston, on April 25, 2019. Steven Senne/AP Photo
Isabel van Brugen
Updated:

A Massachusetts judge might face prosecution after a federal appeals court on Feb. 28 declined to dismiss a case in which she’s accused of blocking the arrest of an illegal immigrant.

In a criminal case filed during the Trump administration, Newton District Court Judge Shelley Joseph is accused of impeding a federal immigration arrest of a defendant in her courtroom in 2018. Court papers say the judge blocked a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent from detaining a man who fled the court through a rear door.

Isabel van Brugen
Isabel van Brugen
Reporter
Isabel van Brugen is an award-winning journalist. She holds a master's in newspaper journalism from City, University of London.
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