Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Administration from Deporting Chicago Man Acquitted of Bovino Murder Plot
A federal judge in Indiana has ordered the Trump administration not to deport a Chicago man who was acquitted last month of offering $10,000 for the murder of US Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino.
US District Judge James Hanlon ruled that Juan Espinoza Martinez, 37, is likely entitled to a bond hearing that could lead to his release. Espinoza Martinez has been in federal custody since his arrest on murder-for-hire charges in early October. Despite being acquitted by a jury after just three hours of trial, Homeland Security officials have accused him of being in the country illegally.
Attorney Michael Adler filed a petition challenging Espinoza Martinez's detention, arguing that he lived in Chicago for 30 years and worked at his brother's construction company for the last decade. Adler described Espinoza Martinez as "a working man with deep roots in his community" who was simply going about his daily life before being arrested.
However, Homeland Security put Espinoza Martinez in removal proceedings on the day of his arrest, leaving him facing months or even years in immigration custody, separated from his family. Hanlon's order temporarily blocks the Trump administration's efforts to deport Espinoza Martinez and orders them not to move him outside the jurisdiction of the United States while the litigation plays out.
The case against Espinoza Martinez revolved around a message he sent on Snapchat, which read "10k if u take him down" following a picture of Bovino. The man who received the message testified that he understood it to mean $10,000 if he killed Bovino. However, defense attorneys argued that social media messages are often taken out of context and that there was no concrete evidence of any wrongdoing.
Espinoza Martinez's acquittal has sparked criticism from some who claim that the Trump administration is targeting immigrants unfairly. Marimar Martinez, the woman shot five times by a Border Patrol agent in Chicago, has also spoken out against being referred to as a "domestic terrorist" by Homeland Security, despite having her charges dropped.
A federal judge in Indiana has ordered the Trump administration not to deport a Chicago man who was acquitted last month of offering $10,000 for the murder of US Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino.
US District Judge James Hanlon ruled that Juan Espinoza Martinez, 37, is likely entitled to a bond hearing that could lead to his release. Espinoza Martinez has been in federal custody since his arrest on murder-for-hire charges in early October. Despite being acquitted by a jury after just three hours of trial, Homeland Security officials have accused him of being in the country illegally.
Attorney Michael Adler filed a petition challenging Espinoza Martinez's detention, arguing that he lived in Chicago for 30 years and worked at his brother's construction company for the last decade. Adler described Espinoza Martinez as "a working man with deep roots in his community" who was simply going about his daily life before being arrested.
However, Homeland Security put Espinoza Martinez in removal proceedings on the day of his arrest, leaving him facing months or even years in immigration custody, separated from his family. Hanlon's order temporarily blocks the Trump administration's efforts to deport Espinoza Martinez and orders them not to move him outside the jurisdiction of the United States while the litigation plays out.
The case against Espinoza Martinez revolved around a message he sent on Snapchat, which read "10k if u take him down" following a picture of Bovino. The man who received the message testified that he understood it to mean $10,000 if he killed Bovino. However, defense attorneys argued that social media messages are often taken out of context and that there was no concrete evidence of any wrongdoing.
Espinoza Martinez's acquittal has sparked criticism from some who claim that the Trump administration is targeting immigrants unfairly. Marimar Martinez, the woman shot five times by a Border Patrol agent in Chicago, has also spoken out against being referred to as a "domestic terrorist" by Homeland Security, despite having her charges dropped.
so some dude gets accused of murder for hire and then he's acquitted after like 3 hours and they still wanna deport him? 
that's not fair at all! espinoza martinez sounds like a good guy, been in chicago for 30 years, working hard... what more proof do they need? 
it's just another example of how our immigration system is super messed up 
and it's like the trump administration is trying to take advantage of people who are just trying to live their lives 
anyway, glad that a judge stepped in and blocked the deportation for now... fingers crossed he gets out of there soon 
he's been living in chicago for 30 years with his family and working hard just to make a living but homeland security is still trying to deport him 
it's so unfair, they're basically saying he's guilty before even giving him a chance to explain himself 
the fact that he was acquitted by a jury in just 3 hours shows that there's no concrete evidence against him but homeland security isn't listening 
and now he's stuck in immigration custody with his family, separated from each other 
it's just not right
It's also disturbing that Espinoza Martinez is facing months or even years in immigration custody, separated from his family - it raises serious questions about the administration's commitment to upholding due process. 
he's been stuck in detention since october and now there's no guarantee he'll get out of here. 30 years in chicago working for his brother's construction company, what does that even say about him? it's crazy how homeland security just jumped on him the minute he got arrested, like they were waiting for this guy to slip up or something 
. And can you believe they accused him of murder-for-hire over just one Snapchat message? Like what even is that? That's not evidence, that's just speculation! 
I feel bad for Juan Espinoza Martinez and his family - they've been through enough already. 
... I just can't believe Juan Espinoza Martinez is still stuck in immigration custody after being acquitted of the murder plot 
? It doesn't seem fair at all... I mean, even if there was some context issue with the messages, shouldn't that have stopped Homeland Security from accusing him of being in the country illegally in the first place?! 
. This kind of thing needs to stop happening to innocent people who are just trying to live their lives in America 
.
just 'cause of a Snapchat message 
while the Trump admin tries to figure out what to do with him 
. The fact that Homeland Security is trying to deport someone just 'cause they're accused of something that didn't even go to trial 
is just shady 
#JusticeForEspinoza #ImmigrationReformNow #StopTargetingImmigrants