Judge orders records in border activist’s arrest unsealed

TUCSON, Ariz. – A federal judge has ordered the government to unseal text messages between agents involved in the arrest of an Arizona border activist who was tried on charges of immigrant harbouring.

The judge on Thursday ruled in favour of a coalition of news organizations including The Associated Press to unseal the records, saying the public has a right to know and that the government didn’t show a compelling reason for keeping them secret. The Intercept first filed the motion to unseal.

A jury was deadlocked on charges against Scott Warren in the Tucson trial in June. Prosecutors who say the immigrants Warren helped weren’t in distress said they will try Warren again on different charges.

Warren says he was fulfilling his duty to help others when he encountered two migrants near the U.S.-Mexico border.