U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has sharply criticized a Suffolk County judge for releasing an undocumented immigrant with a history of drunk driving offenses and prior deportations on bail. The federal agency stated that Judge Bryan Browns erred by allowing Pablo Aguilar-Alvarez, 36, to walk free without bail on Friday, despite his conviction for a fourth felony driving while intoxicated (DWI) charge.
ICE officials expressed strong disapproval of the judge's decision, asserting that public safety should have been prioritized over leniency. "The county judge should focus on public safety, not making excuses for refusing to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement," a spokesperson for ICE stated. The agency vowed to apprehend and deport Aguilar-Alvarez, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy for undocumented immigrants who break U.S. laws.
Aguilar-Alvarez, a Salvadoran national, has a series of felony DWI convictions dating back to 2017. He was previously deported in March 2024 following his third felony DWI conviction stemming from a June 2022 arrest. Authorities allege that he subsequently re-entered the United States illegally.
His latest arrest occurred in November after his girlfriend alerted authorities. Southampton police stopped him for traffic violations, including running a stop sign and crossing the double yellow line, leading to his fourth drunk driving charge in a decade. He also had a misdemeanor DUI charge in 2012. In addition to the DWI offenses, ICE stated that Aguilar-Alvarez possesses an extensive criminal record that includes charges and convictions for drug and weapons possession.
A Suffolk County jury found Aguilar-Alvarez guilty of his fourth felony DWI on Friday. Prosecutors had requested that he be held without bail pending his sentencing on October 2. However, Judge Browns granted his release on bail. The New York State Office of Court Administration, which represents state judges, has not yet commented on the matter.
Records indicate that Aguilar-Alvarez was represented in his latest case by the Suffolk County Branch of the Legal Aid Society. The judge has presided over previous DUI cases, including one in 2022 involving a defendant who fled the country after being indicted for a fatal drunk driving crash. In that instance, Judge Browns ordered the defendant held without bail after his apprehension and extradition.