MULTNOMAH COUNTY, OR (KPTV) -
A Multnomah County judge is under internal investigation after a U.S. attorney claims she helped an illegal immigrant escape ICE agents.
The incident in question happened on January 27 when Mexican national Diddier Pacheco Salazar appeared before Judge Monica Herranz in a DUI case. When the court staff noticed immigration and customs enforcement agents in the hallway, U.S. Attorney Billy Williams claims Herranz allowed Salazar to leave through her private entrance.
ICE agents brought the matter to Williams. He says what happened in that courtroom is not right.
“I felt that it was inappropriate and delegitimizes the work of ICE agents who are out there doing their jobs,” Williams said Tuesday.
Salazar was arrested two weeks after the incident and is now in custody in Tacoma.
ICE agents have decided not to pursue a criminal investigation against the judge, but Chief Judge Nan Waller is now doing an internal investigation - telling FOX 12 she wants to figure out what happened before discussing the situation.
As sworn officers of the court, Williams says what Judge Herranz and her staff did is troubling.
“When you’re talking about the judicial system – whether it’s federal or by state – you have an expectation that people are going to abide by the law and not take steps based on their own motivations, their own politics – whatever the motivation was.”
FOX 12 reached out to Judge Herranz for a comment, but she has not responded
A Multnomah County judge is under internal investigation after a U.S. attorney claims she helped an illegal immigrant escape ICE agents.
The incident in question happened on January 27 when Mexican national Diddier Pacheco Salazar appeared before Judge Monica Herranz in a DUI case. When the court staff noticed immigration and customs enforcement agents in the hallway, U.S. Attorney Billy Williams claims Herranz allowed Salazar to leave through her private entrance.
ICE agents brought the matter to Williams. He says what happened in that courtroom is not right.
“I felt that it was inappropriate and delegitimizes the work of ICE agents who are out there doing their jobs,” Williams said Tuesday.
Salazar was arrested two weeks after the incident and is now in custody in Tacoma.
ICE agents have decided not to pursue a criminal investigation against the judge, but Chief Judge Nan Waller is now doing an internal investigation - telling FOX 12 she wants to figure out what happened before discussing the situation.
As sworn officers of the court, Williams says what Judge Herranz and her staff did is troubling.
“When you’re talking about the judicial system – whether it’s federal or by state – you have an expectation that people are going to abide by the law and not take steps based on their own motivations, their own politics – whatever the motivation was.”
FOX 12 reached out to Judge Herranz for a comment, but she has not responded
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Salazar entered the courtroom at Multnomah County Circuit Court (above) with his lawyer but never came back out again
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Herranz is now under internal investigation after U.S. Attorney Billy Williams (above) accused the judge of letting Salazar leave through her private entrance
