PRBA STATEMENT FOR RELEASE
April 28, 2025
Puerto Rican Bar Association Condemns Actions Threatening Judicial Independence
New York, New York
The Puerto Rican Bar Association of New York (“PRBA”) — the nation’s oldest Latinx bar association, established in 1957 — expresses profound concern over the growing pattern of intimidation directed at members of the judiciary, including troubling enforcement actions by federal immigration authorities that pose a direct threat to judicial independence and the constitutional balance of powers.
In recent months, there have been confirmed incidents where judges have been personally targeted and threatened for fulfilling their constitutional duties. Credible reports have surfaced of doxxing campaigns, threats to judges’ families, and public calls for retaliation following lawful decisions — actions that endanger not only individual judges but the integrity of the judicial system itself.
Even more disturbing is the emerging trend of the public arrest of sitting judges, which has sparked significant debate among legal experts, public officials, and civil rights advocates. Critics argue that conducting such arrests — at times in full public view — represents an overreach and an intimidation tactic that could have a chilling effect on judicial independence and erode judges’ ability to make impartial decisions without fear of retaliation.
Accordingly, the Puerto Rican Bar Association of New York stands in unwavering solidarity with the judiciary and calls on all public officials and institutions to respect, protect, and reaffirm the vital constitutional role judges play in safeguarding our American democracy.