An El Paso judge released at least some migrants accused of being part of a frenzied stampede that overwhelmed National Guard officers at Texas’ southern border on Easter Sunday, according to reports.
Presiding Magistrate Judge Humberto Acosta determined during a bond hearing that migrants charged with “riot participation” will be released following the horrifying incident near the Rio Grande ten days ago, according to the El Paso Times.
Acosta opted to release them after arguing that the El Paso District Attorney’s Office was not prepared to have detention hearings for each defendant, according to the article.
According to the publication, “It is the ruling of the court that all the rioting participation cases will be released on their recognizance,” Acosta declared during the virtual conference.
According to frightening footage acquired by The Post, Texas officials arrested migrants on rioting charges in connection with the violent scene in which razor wire was taken down and guards were thrown over.
The border crossers were largely adult males, and they outnumbered the guardsmen, who were desperately trying to group them so they could be put into Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) custody on March 21.
During the heated meeting, hordes of migrants were able to scramble to a border gate, hoping that Border Patrol authorities on the other side would apprehend them and allow them into the United States. Some guardsmen sustained minor injuries.
Some migrants were charged with assault on a public official and criminal mischief, and it’s unclear whether the judge’s Sunday judgment applied to those defendants or only those accused of “riot participation,” according to the El Paso Times.
Court officials also stated that migrants will remain held if a federal immigration hold prevents their release, according to the newspaper.
On Sunday, Assistant District Attorney Ashley M. Martinez requested that hearings be scheduled at a later date. However, Acosta denied the request.
It is also unknown how many migrants were prosecuted for “riot participation,” which is a misdemeanor.
According to the publication, Judge Acosta stated that “hundreds of arrestees” are entitled to individual detention hearings within 48 hours.
“So if the DA’s office is telling me that they are not ready to go, what we’re going to do is we’re going to release all these individuals on their recognizance,” Acosta is said to have informed her.
Last week, an official informed The Washington Post that Immigration and Customs Enforcement was detaining more than 200 migrants whom officials planned to arrest and charge.
However, federal officials were less forthcoming than the Border Patrol. According to the El Paso Times, another hearing is expected on Monday. The Post has contacted the district attorney’s office for comment.
Texas has attempted to utilize national guardsmen and state authorities to arrest and deport illegal immigrants, but the Biden administration has moved to prevent this action.
Last Monday, a federal appeals court halted Texas’ action.
Early in March, a split US Supreme Court permitted the law to go into force while the legal challenge was being heard.
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