A federal judge ordered the release of a man wanted for homicide in the Dominican Republic after learning that critical information about his background was not disclosed during court proceedings.
Bryan Rafael Gomez, 27, was released from ICE custody in Rhode Island on $500 bail following a ruling by Melissa DuBose, who said the government failed to justify his continued detention under the law.
DuBose determined that Gomez had been held under legal authority intended for migrants apprehended at the border, even though he had been arrested within the United States. Based on the filings presented, she ruled that his detention did not meet the required standard and ordered his release pending a bond hearing before an immigration judge.
The case shifted after additional information emerged.
Gomez is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by authorities in the Dominican Republic in January 2023 for homicide. That information was not included in the court filings used in the judge’s initial decision and was only referenced briefly in an agency press release.
DuBose said she was not informed of those details when issuing her ruling and raised concerns about the omission. She warned that failing to provide relevant facts could undermine public safety and ordered a show-cause hearing to determine why the information was withheld.
A federal prosecutor later acknowledged the omission.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Bolan said in court filings that he had been instructed not to include the information about Gomez’s status as a wanted individual. He apologized to the court, stating that the lack of disclosure had consequences for the case.
Officials clarified that the judge’s decision was made without knowledge of the international warrant. A statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office confirmed that DuBose was not aware of Gomez’s status at the time of the ruling.
The Department of Homeland Security criticized the outcome after the release became public.
An official described Gomez as a “criminal illegal alien” and argued that releasing him posed a risk, pointing to the outstanding warrant and his immigration status.
Court records indicate Gomez entered the U.S. after leaving the Dominican Republic following a violent incident involving his family. He later married a U.S. citizen and had been scheduled to appear before an immigration judge for an asylum hearing shortly after his arrest, per the Daily Mail.
The legal dispute now centers on two issues.
The first is whether the detention was lawful under the statutes applied by immigration authorities.
The second is whether the failure to disclose the international warrant affected the integrity of the court’s decision.
DuBose has scheduled a hearing requiring government attorneys to explain the omission and address whether sanctions or further action are warranted.
