Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey issued a sharply worded statement in response to U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling’s decision to federally charge a Massachusetts judge and a court officer on accusations they helped a man evade ICE detention.

“Today’s indictment is a radical and politically-motivated attack on our state and the independence of our courts,” Healey wrote. “It is a bedrock principle of our constitutional system that federal prosecutors should not recklessly interfere with the operation of state courts and their administration of justice.”

Healey went on the further say the matter could have been handled by the Commission on Judicial Conduct and the Trial Court.

“I am deeply disappointed by U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling’s misuse of prosecutorial resources and the chilling effect his actions will have,” Healey said.

Federal authorities brought criminal charges against Newton District Court Shelley Joseph and a now-former court officer in the handling of the case of Jose Medina-Perez. He was facing deportation following recent drug charges in Newton and an outstanding warrant for drunk driving in Pennsylvania.

ICE issued an immigration detainer against Medina-Perez, who had previously been deported, following his arrest by Newton Police in March of 2018, federal authorities said.

An ICE agent was in Newton District Court for Medina-Perez’ arraignment and was going to take him into custody. Authorities said Joseph ordered the agent out of the courtroom and had the courtroom recorder turned off as she discussed the ICE detainer.

“ICE is gonna get him?” Joseph said, according to a transcript of the recorded portion of the conversation.

The judge released Medina-Perez without bail and instructed Trial Court Officer Wesley MacGregor to accompany him to the downstairs lockup, while barring the ICE agent from entering the courtroom, according to prosecutors. MacGregor then allegedly allowed Medina-Perez to exit through a back door.

Joseph and MacGregor were indicted Thursday on counts of conspiracy to obstruct justice, aiding and abetting obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting obstruction of a federal proceeding.

Prosecutors also accuse MacGregor of perjury. Authorities claim he lied to a federal grand jury by stating he did not know there was an ICE detainer for Medina-Perez when the man appeared in court.

Joseph has been suspended without pay. MacGregor retired last month.

Carol Rose, executive director of the ACLU of Massachusetts, released a statement after the indictments were issued.

Her statement reads:

“The Department of Justice’s decision to bring this case is preposterous, ironic, and deeply damaging to the rule of law. In contrast to Attorney General William Barr’s famously narrow view of what constitutes obstruction of justice — at least when it comes to President Trump — the Department of Justice has now charged a state judge and court security officer based on a theory of obstruction that is shockingly aggressive. In this case, like so many others across Massachusetts, an ICE officer staked out a state court and made it difficult for court officials to do their job, which is to ensure that people in state court have access to justice. But instead of rethinking its own awful behavior, the federal government has now charged a judge and a court officer with crimes.

This decision seems to have little to do with the actual facts, and everything to do with enforcing the president’s anti-immigrant agenda. This prosecution is nothing less than an assault on justice in Massachusetts courts, and it will further undermine community trust and safety. If Attorney General Barr really meant what he said about obstruction of justice when he held his press conference about President Trump — and even if he didn’t mean a word of it — he should immediately order that this case be dropped.”