US Government Tries to Censor Judge Over ICE Agent's Face, Because a Simple Google Search Revealed the Identity Anyway.
A recent court transcript has revealed that a federal judge was asked to obscure an ICE agent's face during a public proceeding because his name and location were publicly listed on his LinkedIn page. This request was made by government lawyers who claimed that the agent had taken precautions to disconnect his identity from his online image, but a simple Google search easily found his profile.
The incident occurred when Juan Espinoza Martinez, a union carpenter accused of a murder-for-hire plot against a Border Patrol commander, was going through trial. The US Department of Homeland Security brought claims about "bounties" on the heads of immigration officials, but no evidence supported these allegations.
During the proceedings, ICE Deputy Field Office Director Shawn Byers took the stand to testify. He claimed that there were threats on his life, and that he had taken extensive precautions to protect himself online. However, when asked about the bounties, Byers seemed to walk back his claims, saying that all senior ICE officials faced a threat.
Judge Sara Ellis then decided to blur Byers' face in the courtroom sketch artist's work, deeming it necessary for protection. However, this decision was based on unfounded assumptions about Byers' online safety, as his LinkedIn profile could easily be found with just a simple Google search.
Byers claimed that he had been doxed (his name and photo shared publicly) recently, but that his face had not yet been connected to his name online. However, the judge's compromise ultimately validated the notion that immigration agents operate under extreme risk and that such measures are necessary for their protection.
In a striking example of how the government can misuse its power to obscure public information, this incident highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability in law enforcement agencies.
A recent court transcript has revealed that a federal judge was asked to obscure an ICE agent's face during a public proceeding because his name and location were publicly listed on his LinkedIn page. This request was made by government lawyers who claimed that the agent had taken precautions to disconnect his identity from his online image, but a simple Google search easily found his profile.
The incident occurred when Juan Espinoza Martinez, a union carpenter accused of a murder-for-hire plot against a Border Patrol commander, was going through trial. The US Department of Homeland Security brought claims about "bounties" on the heads of immigration officials, but no evidence supported these allegations.
During the proceedings, ICE Deputy Field Office Director Shawn Byers took the stand to testify. He claimed that there were threats on his life, and that he had taken extensive precautions to protect himself online. However, when asked about the bounties, Byers seemed to walk back his claims, saying that all senior ICE officials faced a threat.
Judge Sara Ellis then decided to blur Byers' face in the courtroom sketch artist's work, deeming it necessary for protection. However, this decision was based on unfounded assumptions about Byers' online safety, as his LinkedIn profile could easily be found with just a simple Google search.
Byers claimed that he had been doxed (his name and photo shared publicly) recently, but that his face had not yet been connected to his name online. However, the judge's compromise ultimately validated the notion that immigration agents operate under extreme risk and that such measures are necessary for their protection.
In a striking example of how the government can misuse its power to obscure public information, this incident highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability in law enforcement agencies.
they're trying to censor a judge over an ICE agent's face lol like what even is this? 
they think google search isn't gonna find that info out... newsflash: it already did! 
and now the judge had to blur his face in the courtroom sketch artist's work just because of unfounded assumptions 
it's wild how the government thinks they can control everything online. like, shouldn't we have freedom to know who's trying to intimidate our law enforcement officers? 
, like, who's gonna protect our rights if we can't even search for a public figure online? 
#FreeSpeechMatters. The fact that they asked the judge to blur Byers' face just 'cause his LinkedIn profile was out there is wild 
No way! It's all about accountability and keeping those in power on their toes 
#JusticeForAll.
. So some dude, Juan Espinoza Martinez, accused of murder-for-hire, and his trial goes on... meanwhile, ICE agent Shawn Byers just gets a total pass because he's got "security concerns" 
. Judge Sara Ellis was right to call BS on this whole thing tho 
. We need more transparency and less gov overreach 
.
they gotta regulate our google search habits too?! it's all about control here, right? 
.
just saw this and I'm literally shaking my head. Like, what even is the point of having a public service like a court where we're supposed to see our tax dollars at work? And now they're trying to hide an ICE agent's face because some lawyer couldn't be bothered to do 2 mins of research on his online presence 
. And what's worse is that they're gonna use this as a reason to justify more secrecy and lack of transparency in law enforcement? Ugh, it gives me the chills