State Review Dismisses ICE Claims of Marshals Blocking Courthouse Arrest
A 34-page report finds no evidence that Connecticut judicial marshals impeded agents during a September detention in Meriden, despite DHS allegations of physical obstruction and verbal threats.
By Julia Wang ·
The Connecticut Judicial Branch released a report on Thursday that clears state marshals of misconduct during a disputed detention at a Meriden courthouse.
The 34-page document states that investigators found no evidence judicial marshals threatened or impeded U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on Sept. 23.
The review was triggered after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security publicly alleged that a marshal blocked exits and told an officer, “I’ll catch you outside and rip your face off.”
Judicial Branch official Jon Lucas wrote in the report that there is no evidence to support claims that marshals impeded or blocked ICE agents at doorways or elevators.
DHS had previously accused marshals of trying to prevent the arrest of Ecuadorian citizen Welington Leonel Almara-Diaz. The department claimed several marshals impeded the arrest and told Almara-Diaz to hide upstairs.
A DHS spokesperson reiterated those allegations in a statement on Thursday. The spokesperson described courthouse arrests as “common sense” because they conserve law enforcement resources and keep officers safe.
The report details that ICE officers initially took the wrong person into custody and had to return to the building. Agents did not have a warrant and refused to sign in. They eventually located Almara-Diaz in a second-floor bathroom.
One marshal told investigators he heard loud banging from the bathroom and that ICE agents prevented him from entering. When officers removed Almara-Diaz from the building, they encountered protesters who were recording on phones and blowing whistles.
The report states that ICE deployed pepper spray that hit a woman and a maintenance employee. Videos from the event show marshals telling protesters they could not record inside and moving the crowd outside.
Judicial officials interviewed seven marshals for the review. Each employee either denied or said they did not recall blocking, impeding, or threatening ICE officers.
The report notes that marshals’ statements are consistent that none said or heard a marshal say, “I’ll catch you outside and rip your face off” to ICE agents.
ICE officers were wearing body cameras during the event. Officials requested copies of the recordings through a Freedom of Information Act request, but the agency has not produced the footage.
