Immigration attorney — once illegally in the US — resigns as judge following FBI raid

Judge Joseph Molina Flynn for the Central Falls Municipal Court in Providence County, Rhode Island, abruptly resigned on Thursday after the FBI conducted a raid on his law offices.

Molina Flynn, an immigration attorney in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, was appointed as a judge in January 2021.

'I was deeply concerned to see the reports of an FBI search.'

According to his law office's website, Molina Flynn was "the first gay person to hold that seat and the first formerly undocumented Judge in Rhode Island."

Molina Flynn was born in Medellin, Colombia, and arrived in the U.S. on a tourist visa at 9 years old. He remained in the country illegally for another 15 years before he obtained lawful permanent residency, the law office website states. Molina Flynn obtained his U.S. citizenship in September 2014.

His law practice, founded in 2015, specializes in immigration, family, and criminal cases.

"These three areas of law have been the focus of Joseph's legal career beginning with his time in law school. He often works with other practitioners as a 'crimmigration' consultant," the website read.

As a judge for the Municipal Court, Molina Flynn hears "various cases," including "traffic and parking offenses, violations of the minimum housing code statute, and the violation of any ordinance," according to the city's website. His court has the authority to impose a maximum sentence of 30 days in jail and a maximum fine of $500.

Upon his appointment in 2021, Molina Flynn told the Providence Journal, "I'm just extremely overwhelmed with gratitude that I live in a world where I can live my truth and still be able to achieve something like being appointed to the Municipal Court."

"It wasn't that long ago that all of this would have been unheard of," he added.

On Thursday morning, FBI agents raided his law offices on Dorrance Street in downtown Providence, according to the Providence Journal.

Jim Martin, a spokesman for U.S. Attorney Zachary Cunha's office, told the news outlet, "There is court authorized activity at that location."

A spokesperson for the FBI repeated a similar statement to the Providence Journal.

Sources told the news outlet that the office was the focus of the FBI's investigation. The reason for the raid is not immediately clear.

Footage of the raid captured by WJAR showed FBI agents carrying several boxes of files out of the law office.

Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera announced Molina Flynn's resignation following the agency's search.

"I was deeply concerned to see the reports of an FBI search at the law office of Joseph Molina Flynn," Rivera stated. "As the Central Falls community knows, transparency and accountability are priorities of mine. In an effort to uphold the integrity and focus of the Municipal Court, Judge Molina Flynn has officially resigned his position."

Rivera, elected in 2021, appointed Molina Flynn, who was responsible for overseeing the city's traffic calendar.

Sources reportedly told WPRI that the FBI's investigation began under the former Biden administration and was not tied to President Donald Trump's immigration-related executive orders.

According to the sources, the FBI is investigating allegations that Molina Flynn defrauded individuals seeking his counsel on immigration matters.

Molina Flynn is not currently facing any charges. He did not respond to a request for comment from WPRI.

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