Two Utah courthouse employees face up to 25 years in federal prison after allegedly intercepting illegal migrants during an ICE operation and smuggling them out a back door, then celebrating their defiance on surveillance cameras.

Courthouse Obstruction Caught on Camera

Lauren Morrow, 26, and Jennifer Joma, 27, were indicted Wednesday on federal charges including conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens and obstruction of Homeland Security proceedings. Federal prosecutors say the pair deliberately thwarted an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation at Logan City Municipal Justice Court in April when an officer arrived to execute a warrant. The two clerks immediately began searching court databases to identify foreign nationals scheduled to appear that day, according to court documents obtained by The New York Post.

The women located a Guatemalan citizen targeted by ICE and ushered him into a backroom, away from the federal officer. After successfully hiding the first individual, surveillance footage captured Morrow and Joma waving at cameras before Morrow made an obscene gesture. The clerks then continued their database search, identifying two additional women—one from Mexico—who were also taken to the backroom and removed from the building before ICE could detain them.

Coordinated Effort Involved Multiple Staff

The operation involved coordination beyond just the two charged clerks. Court documents indicate a presiding judge retreated to his office and left his door open in a position that blocked his view of the proceedings. Another unnamed clerk closed the judge’s door further obscuring visibility. Joma then placed all three migrants in her personal vehicle and drove them away from the courthouse before returning. When questioned by authorities about the missing individuals, Morrow refused to provide information about their whereabouts, prosecutors said.

Unprecedented Federal Response

Joma faces an additional charge of transporting illegal aliens, which carries a five-year prison sentence on top of the other counts. Former U.S. Attorney for Utah John Huber told local media he had never witnessed such a case in the state during his tenure. Huber warned that federal authorities view these actions with extreme seriousness, emphasizing that obstruction of immigration enforcement constitutes a federal felony, not a political statement. The case highlights escalating tensions surrounding immigration enforcement as federal officials signal zero tolerance for interference with lawful operations, even from government employees working within the justice system itself.