According to a report, an El Paso judge released at least some migrants who were allegedly involved in a chaotic stampede that overwhelmed National Guard troops at the southern border in Texas on Easter Sunday.
During a bond hearing, Presiding Magistrate Judge Humberto Acosta made a ruling that migrants who were charged with “riot participation” would be released after the recent riot along the Rio Grande, as reported by the El Paso Times.
Acosta made the decision to release the defendants as he believed that the El Paso District Attorney’s Office was not prepared to proceed with detention hearings for each individual, according to the newspaper.
During the virtual conference, Acosta stated that the court has decided to release all the individuals involved in the rioting cases on their own recognizance.
Texas authorities have made arrests of migrants on charges related to rioting, following a disturbing incident where razor wire was torn down and guards were knocked over. The shocking footage of this incident was captured by The Post.
On March 21, the Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) guardsmen found themselves overwhelmed by the sheer number of adult males crossing the border. The guardsmen struggled to organize them into groups for custody.
In a tense encounter, a large number of migrants managed to rush towards a border gate, hoping that Border Patrol agents on the other side would apprehend them and grant them entry into the United States. As a result, a few guardsmen sustained minor injuries.
According to the El Paso Times, it remains uncertain whether the judge’s ruling on Sunday applied to migrants who faced assault charges against a public servant and criminal mischief, or solely to those accused of participating in riots.
According to the newspaper, court officials have stated that migrants will continue to be held in detention if there is a federal immigration hold preventing their release.
Assistant District Attorney Ashley M. Martinez made a request on Sunday to postpone the hearings for a later date. However, Acosta denied the request.
The exact number of migrants who were charged with “riot participation,” a misdemeanor, remains unclear.
According to the newspaper, Judge Acosta stated that “hundreds of individuals who have been arrested” are entitled to have their own detention hearings within 48 hours.
According to reports, Acosta reportedly stated, “If the DA’s office is not ready to proceed, we will release all these individuals on their own recognizance.”
According to a previous statement, The Post was informed that there were more than 200 migrants being held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) whom authorities intended to arrest and charge.
The Border Patrol was more cooperative than federal officials.
According to the El Paso Times, there is another hearing scheduled for Monday.
The district attorney’s office has been approached for comment by The Post.
The Texas government has made efforts to employ national guardsmen and state authorities in apprehending and expelling migrants who enter the country unlawfully. However, the Biden administration has intervened to prevent such actions from taking place.
A federal appeals court put a stop to Texas proceeding with that action last week.
In March, the law came into effect temporarily as the US Supreme Court, divided in its decision, permitted its implementation while the legal dispute unfolded.
