A senior Trump administration official has launched a fierce attack on the American justice system after a jury acquitted a man accused of stealing a government vehicle during an immigration arrest.
White House Fury Over Not Guilty Verdict
Stephen Miller, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff and a key architect of the administration's immigration policy, took to social media to denounce the jury's decision. The verdict was delivered on Friday, following a four-day federal trial in Los Angeles.
Miller labelled the outcome "another example of blatant jury nullification in a blue city." In a post on X, he argued that "mass migration tribalizes the entire legal system," suggesting the jury did not share the values necessary for fair justice.
The Case of the Towed ICE Vehicle
The case centred on Bobby Nuñez, a 33-year-old tow truck driver from Los Angeles. He was arrested in September after being accused of interfering with the detention of TikTok influencer Tatiana Mafla-Martinez, who was live-streaming her own arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
Video evidence showed Nuñez hooking up and towing away an ICE SUV from the scene while agents had Mafla-Martinez pinned to the ground. He was charged with theft of government property.
During the trial, Nuñez's defence team argued his actions caused minimal interference, noting he only moved the vehicle a block away and it was recovered within minutes. The jury ultimately found him not guilty.
Legal Setback for Immigration Crackdown
The acquittal represents a significant courtroom setback for the Trump administration, which has pledged to prosecute those who obstruct immigration enforcement. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli had previously expressed confidence that Nuñez would face prison, stating on X in September that the driver could "laugh behind bars" and was "looking at up to 10 years in federal prison."
Following the verdict, Essayli simply acknowledged the jury's finding, offering no further comment.
Nuñez's attorneys thanked the jurors, calling them "an essential backstop against prosecutorial overreach in our constitutional system."
This case follows a recent Associated Press investigation which found that dozens of prosecutions for disrupting ICE activity have collapsed. Of 100 people initially charged with felony assaults on federal agents, more than half saw charges reduced or dismissed.
