Judge Slams Trump Administration for ‘Serious Breakdown’ in Legal Ethics

Key Points:

• A federal judge criticized the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for making "erroneous and dangerous" statements after DHS publicly condemned her for releasing Bryan Rafael Gomez on bond without disclosing he was wanted for murder in the Dominican Republic.
• Judge Melissa R. DuBose, appointed by President Biden, ordered Gomez's release on April 28, unaware of the pending murder charge, which DHS withheld from the court and later used to attack her decision.
• The judge described the government's withholding of information as a "serious breakdown in the ethical codes" and is considering sanctions against DHS for misconduct, highlighting a "massive breach" of court trust.
• Kevin M. Bolan, from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, apologized for the incident, explaining he was told by Immigration and Customs Enforcement not to disclose the overseas charge and regretted not requesting more time from the court.
• Gomez's lawyer confirmed he is currently at home in Massachusetts, with a hearing scheduled to determine if he should be detained again; independent verification of the homicide warrant claim remains unavailable.