A Massachusetts judge, once at the center of a political storm during the Trump administration, now faces state disciplinary charges stemming from accusations of shielding an undocumented immigrant from federal agents. Judge Shelley Joseph, a Boston Municipal Court judge, is accused of willful misconduct by the Massachusetts Judicial Conduct Commission, reopening a case that had already gripped national attention.
The allegations trace back to 2018, when Joseph, presiding in a Newton courthouse, allegedly allowed a defendant with an immigration detainer to exit the building through a back door, circumventing an ICE agent waiting to make an arrest. This act led to criminal obstruction charges in 2019, a flashpoint in the broader conflict between the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and states that resisted federal enforcement efforts in their courthouses.
The criminal case was dropped in 2022 after Joseph agreed to self-report to judicial authorities. However, the state’s Judicial Conduct Commission is now pursuing formal charges, claiming her actions violated both state law and judicial codes of conduct. The commission also alleges that she misrepresented facts during disciplinary inquiries, further compounding the seriousness of the accusations.
Joseph’s attorney, Thomas Hoopes, has firmly denied any misconduct, stating she is eager for a public hearing to present her side of the story. Her legal team argues that her actions adhered to the constraints placed on state courts by Massachusetts law and did not amount to willful judicial misconduct.
The controversy continues to spotlight tensions between federal immigration policy and state sovereignty. The case now heads toward a public hearing, where Joseph could face consequences, including potential removal from the bench, if found guilty of the charges.
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is expected to appoint a hearing officer to oversee the proceedings in the coming months.
