A US court in Rhode Island released an undocumented immigrant, Bryan Rafael Gómez, without being told that he was wanted for murder in the Dominican Republic. The case has raised serious questions about why immigration officials did not share that information with the judge.
The release took place on 28 April 2026, when Judge Melissa R. DuBose ordered Gómez to be released from the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls. At that time, she was not aware that he had an active homicide warrant overseas. That key detail emerged later during a court hearing, when the judge questioned prosecutors about what they knew and when.
The situation began earlier in April when Gómez was arrested in Worcester, Massachusetts on assault and battery charges. He was then held by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement while his immigration case was being processed. During that time, his lawyer filed a legal request challenging his detention, which led to the judge's decision to release him pending a future immigration hearing.
The main issue now is that ICE reportedly knew about the murder warrant but did not inform the court before Gómez was released. Officials say they were told not to disclose it until they received permission from authorities in the Dominican Republic.
As a result, the judge has called the situation a serious breakdown in trust, saying the court should have been given all relevant information before making such an important decision.
Gómez is no longer in detention, but his legal status remains unclear. He is currently believed to be in Massachusetts, while immigration proceedings and possible further action continue.
A 'Breach of Trust'
During the hearing, The Boston Globe reported that Judge Melissa R. DuBose questioned Assistant US Attorney Kevin Bolan about why the court had not been told about the Dominican Republic warrant before she ruled.
Her comments were unusually direct. 'We operate here under the colour of good faith and we've had a wonderful, functioning, working relationship with your office until this time,' she said. 'It's going to take a while to rebuild that trust.'
The judge went further, describing the failure as a 'massive breach' of the court's trust and warning that it had affected her ability to make an informed decision. She also raised concern that key information was withheld because US Immigration and Customs Enforcement had instructed prosecutors not to disclose it without foreign 'use authorisation.'
That explanation has itself become part of the dispute. ICE reportedly told the US Attorney's Office not to confirm or deny the existence of the warrant while awaiting approval from Dominican authorities. That approval only came days after Gómez had already been released, according to court filings.
The US Department of Homeland Security later criticised the judge publicly, calling her an 'activist judge' and accusing her of releasing a 'violent criminal illegal alien' wanted for murder. Judge Melissa R. DuBose rejected that framing in court, saying the suggestion she knowingly released someone wanted for murder was 'patently false.'
Gomez's Lawyer Also Not Informed
Gómez's lawyer has also raised concerns, saying she only learned about the murder warrant after being contacted by a journalist rather than through official legal channels. That detail has added to questions about why such a significant piece of information did not reach the court earlier.
The judge has now ordered the government to explain why it should not face contempt proceedings over the failure to disclose the warrant. Prosecutors, meanwhile, are pushing for Gómez to be taken back into custody, arguing that he may be a public safety risk due to a homicide warrant issued in the Dominican Republic. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has also moved to have him re-detained, but that request is still under review by the judge.
For now, Gómez remains free while the court considers whether to reverse its earlier ruling.
