Overview
- Rhode Island Judiciary says a high school intern for Judge Joseph McBurney was detained outside the Licht Judicial Complex and released after ICE verified mistaken identity.
- Court officials say McBurney intervened during the encounter and that the teen would have been taken into ICE custody without his actions.
- A DHS spokesperson says the person resembled a target in a child‑predator search and was never arrested or taken into custody before being released.
- Videos from advocates show agents surrounding the judge’s car as he tried to drive the teen to school, with reports they threatened to break the windows.
- Chief Justice Paul Suttell and Governor Dan McKee condemned the incident and pointed to expanding access to virtual hearings, with Providence already authorizing remote municipal and probate court sessions.