Dan Kowalski at LexisNexis Immigration Community sends in the following item from the Coast Dispatch (Ocean City, MD):
https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2021/03/18/wicomico-prosecutor-appointed-fed-immigration-judge/
Wicomico Prosecutor Appointed Fed Immigration Judge
William McDermott
NOW HILL — Former Worcester County prosecutor and Wicomico County Deputy State’s Attorney William “Billy” McDermott has been appointed as a federal immigration judge by the U.S. Attorney General.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has appointed McDermott, 35, a resident of Girdletree, as a federal immigration judge assigned to the New York City Court effective March 28. McDermott, a Worcester County native who graduated from Snow Hill High School, served as deputy state’s attorney under former Worcester County State’s Attorney Beau Oglesby.
When Oglesby was appointed to the Worcester County Circuit Court bench in January 2018, McDermott, his top prosecutor, was appointed Ad Interim State’s Attorney for Worcester County. He announced he was running for the office full-time, but lost a narrow election to current Worcester County State’s Attorney Kris Heiser later in 2018.
McDermott was immediately picked up by the Wicomico County State’s Attorney’s Office, where he has served as lead prosecutor ever since before his appointment as a federal immigration judge this week. As deputy state’s attorney for Wicomico County, McDermott has prosecuted many important cases over the last few years, including the Jamel Gould homicide trial, the Brendon Fields homicide trial, the Jonathan Megee homicide trial, the Barbara Pilchard animal abuse trial and the Salisbury University hate crime graffiti case, for example.
<a href=’//ads.d3corp.com/www/delivery/ck.php?n=ade66574&cb=6053bbfe5aecc’ target=’_blank’ rel=”nofollow”><img src=’//ads.d3corp.com/www/images/60bf7b04398a07e5836cb368c2578a14.jpg’ border=’0′ alt=’60bf7b04398a07e5836cb368c2578a14.jpg’ title=’60bf7b04398a07e5836cb368c2578a14.jpg’ /></a>
Outside the courtroom, McDermott has assisted in the creation of the new Prosecution Integrity Unit. He has also testified in Annapolis on several pieces of important public safety-related legislation and led the first annual Wicomico County State’s Attorney Summer Camp for youth.
“We are incredibly excited and proud of Billy’s appointment,” said Wicomico County State’s Attorney Jamie Dykes. “This may by the opportunity of a lifetime for him and his family, and we know that our country will be well-served by those qualities that will make him an excellent judge.”
. . . .
*********
Read the complete article at the link.
Short “honeymoon!” Most disappointing from an Administration and AG who claim a commitment to justice for asylum seekers and other migrants!
Nothing personal against Judge McDermott. He sounds like a decent guy. He might be well-qualified to be a U.S. Attorney, an official in the DOJ’s Criminal Division, or for dozens of other positions in the Federal Bureaucracy. He might even prove to be better than some of the Immigration Judges now on the bench.
But, the idea that he is the best qualified individual to be a U.S. Immigration Judge is facially absurd. Most of us could think of dozens of much better qualified candidates, just in the NY area.
As I always say, first impressions are lasting impressions. Sadly, Judge Garland has chosen to start by thumbing his nose at those of us committed to immigrant justice and a better Immigration Judiciary. I see no excuse for this tone-deaf appointment.
It looks like the only way the NDPA and the forces of equal justice will get Garland’s attention is by continuing to sue, sue, sue, resist, agitate, and win until we can force change! Sure, it’s dumb and counterproductive on the part of the Biden Administration. Sure, we expected better from Judge Garland.
But, hey, what else is new? If Democratic politicos ever took the time to understand EOIR and its potential for good or evil, we wouldn’t have the unmitigated mess we have today! And, there is no viable plan in place to fix it, nor have we seen the type of consciousness about the ongoing mockery of justice at EOIR necessary to start fixing the American justice system!
🇺🇸🗽⚖️Due Process Forever. A “Built to Fail” Immigration Judiciary, Never!
PWS
03-18-21