John E. Steele, an immigration judge from Florida who controversially ordered the release of a Cuban plane hijacker awaiting deportation, has passed away. The news of his passing came hours after Florida House Rep Greg Steube brought an immigration motion against Judge Steele.
Miakel Guerra Morales was released from ICE custody, due to his illegal immigrant status, following an order from Judge John Steele on July 8. Congressman Greg Steube brought a motion against at the House accusing him of "high crimes and misdemeanors."
The motion by Rep. Steube related to the plane hijacking incident. He called the order for the release of the Cuban as a "judicial overreach."
"This is exactly the kind of activist judicial overreach the American people are sick of," Rep. Steube said. "Judge Steele had every legal justification to keep a convicted plane hijacker off our streets, and he chose to let him go instead."
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John E. Steele Death: What Happened To Him?
But before the motion could reach a potential culmination, the New York Post reported that Judge John E. Steele had passed away "suddenly." The Post confirmed that a law clerk for Chief Judge Marcia Morales Howard of the Middle District of Florida. Judge Steele served in the same district.
{{/usCountry}}But before the motion could reach a potential culmination, the New York Post reported that Judge John E. Steele had passed away "suddenly." The Post confirmed that a law clerk for Chief Judge Marcia Morales Howard of the Middle District of Florida. Judge Steele served in the same district.
{{/usCountry}}Both the clerk and a "legal source" in Miami confirmed the sudden death of Judge Steele. However, the circumstances and his cause of death was not immediately clear, though reports have not flagged foul play.
Judge John Steele, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton, sparked a row with his decision last week. In his order, Judge Steele said that the government "cannot lock individuals in a cell indefinitely as a workaround for a stalled deportation process.”
More About The Miakel Guerra Morales Order
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has said that Miakel Guerra Morales, along with a group, assaulted a flight crew and hijacked a Cuban plane. The plane was forced to fly for more than 100 miles into Monroe County, Florida. Eventually, the plane landed at the Key West airport, where US Marshalls arrested Morales and others.
He was convicted and sentenced to 22 years in prison and was awaiting deportation to Mexico. But last week, Judge Steele cited a Supreme Court ruling regarding detention of foreign nationals.
Morales was led go because "detention exceeds six months and there is no significant likelihood of removal in the reasonably foreseeable future,” late Judge Steele said.