ICE Arrests Man in Middle of His Own Trial, Irate Judge Holds ICE Agent in Contempt of Court

In a striking case of judicial overreach, a Boston city judge has taken the controversial step of charging an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer with contempt for detaining an illegal alien who was in the middle of a felony fraud trial.

The unusual incident occurred on Monday when Boston Municipal Court Judge Mark Summerville held ICE Agent Brian Sullivan in contempt after Sullivan arrested William Martell-Lebron—a Dominican Republic national in the U.S. illegally—during his trial last week, according to WBTS-CD.

As reported by the Boston Globe, attorneys representing Martell-Lebron claim that plainclothes ICE agents took him into custody and transported him in an unmarked SUV as he exited the courthouse. They further alleged that Sullivan had informed the prosecution about the plan to detain the defendant during a lunch break on the same day.

On Monday, Judge Summerville accused the ICE agent of violating the defendant’s rights. The illegal alien was on trial for providing false information on a Massachusetts driver’s license application, which, under state law, is a felony that carries a potential five-year prison sentence, as noted by WBTS.

Rather than focusing on the fact that Martell-Lebron—who is unlawfully present in the country—committed a serious crime, Judge Summerville instead took issue with the ICE agent for enforcing federal immigration laws by making the arrest.

Along with holding Sullivan in contempt, the judge also dismissed the fraud charges against the defendant.

By doing so, Summerville aligns himself with a faction of activist judges who are pushing back against President Donald Trump’s directives aimed at enforcing longstanding federal immigration policies.

It is worth noting that a municipal court judge typically oversees a city court, handling cases such as traffic violations and minor infractions.

These judges do not have authority over federal law. In this case, Summerville appears to have exceeded his judicial boundaries on multiple levels.

The role of a judge is not to create new laws but to interpret and apply those that already exist.

Summerville’s actions—effectively opposing Trump’s executive order regarding illegal immigration—undermine the decisions made by the American electorate, who placed Trump in office with a mandate to enforce immigration laws.

Rather than obstructing executive authority, judges who disagree with Trump’s policies should seek legislative or electoral victories if they wish to alter the nation’s laws.

Until that happens, they should focus on their proper judicial responsibilities rather than attempting to impose policy from the bench.

Judges who act outside their constitutional roles, such as Mark Summerville, should refrain from wasting taxpayer money and manipulating the U.S. court system to advocate on behalf of foreign nationals.

Unlike Trump, these judicial activists were not elected by the people. If they have concerns about his policies, they should take them up in a more appropriate forum.