DHS Criticizes Judge’s Order on Immigrant Releases

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) expressed discontent on Wednesday regarding a federal judge in Louisiana who mandated the release of four undocumented immigrants from ICE detention facilities. Notably, one of these individuals has a history of attempted murder as well as a child sex crime.

These four individuals had serious criminal backgrounds and were released by ICE. The DHS reported that one, who had previously been incarcerated, was ordered to Angola prison by the judge.

Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary at DHS, voiced her concerns, stating, “Judge John DeGravels, appointed by Barack Obama, has released four violent criminals into American society, but this decision will, unfortunately, lead to more crime—rape, murder, assault, and robbery against more American victims.”

Here are the individuals released:

Ibrahim Ali Mohamed, an Ethiopian national, has a prior conviction for the sexual exploitation of a minor. A final order regarding his removal was issued in September 2024.

Luis Gastón-Sanchez, originally from Cuba, was previously convicted of multiple offenses, including murder, assault, resisting arrest, concealing stolen goods, and robbery. He had a final removal order issued in September 2001.

Ricardo Blanco Chomato, another Cuban, has a long list of convictions that includes murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault with a firearm, and drug-related offenses. His deportation was ordered in March 2002.

Francisco Rodríguez Romero, also from Cuba, has been convicted of murder along with weapons offenses. His last deportation order dates back to May 1995.

According to Verite News, a New Orleans nonprofit, Rodríguez Romero was convicted of “manslaughter,” while Gastón-Sanchez and Xoma’s most serious conviction was attempted murder.

Immigrant rights groups representing these individuals did not reply to requests for comment.

Judge DeGravels argued that the Trump administration had “unlawfully” detained these immigrants, stating that holding them for over six months was “constitutionally questionable” and that their deportation was not “reasonably foreseeable.”

DHS remarked that despite numerous decisions made by what they termed “activist judges,” they are “working quickly to transport these individuals from detention centers to their final destinations: their homes.”

McLaughlin concluded that releasing these individuals would be “inexcusably reckless.” She added, “President Trump and Secretary Noem are now enforcing the law and arresting undocumented individuals who should not be in this country.”

“We are following the law as it is written. If an immigration judge decides an undocumented person has no right to remain in the U.S., we will remove them,” she asserted.