Two former Utah state court clerks have been arrested and accused of helping an illegal alien evade U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
The clerks also allegedly obstructed immigration proceedings and the lawful enforcement of United States immigration laws by helping at least one of three other illegal aliens escape out a backdoor of the Logan City Municipal Justice Court so that ICE could not arrest or deport them.
Jennifer Joma, 27, and Lauren Kelsey Morrow, 26, both of Logan, Utah, were indicted on June 3, 2026.
According to allegations in court documents, on April 9, 2026, Joma and Morrow were working at the Logan City Municipal Justice Court in Logan when an ICE Enforcement and Removal Officer (ICE-ERO) entered the justice court to arrest an illegal alien for immigration-related charges.
Jenniferjoma Laurenmorrow.indictment by scott.mcclallen
The ICE officer had an administrative warrant for the illegal alien who was at the justice court for a court hearing. The ICE officer left the secure area and eventually went outside and waited in his car for his target to leave the courthouse before trying to make the lawful arrest.
As alleged in court documents, after Joma and Morrow learned that ICE was there to arrest an illegal alien, they took steps to identify ICE’s target. These steps included misusing court databases to determine the alienage of everyone who was listed on the court docket. During their searches, they identified multiple non-U.S. citizens, and before those non-citizens would leave the courthouse, Joma and Morrow intercepted them. ICE’s intended target was among the unauthorized aliens whom Joma and Morrow helped slip out a back door of the courthouse.
Joma and Morrow allegedly led the individuals down a secure area, several hallways, and eventually out of the courthouse without being seen by ICE.
After sneaking out the back door of the courthouse for the first time with an alien, Morrow and Joma were spotted on a surveillance camera waving and smiling at it, and Morrow used her middle finger in an obscene gesture at the camera. On the second trip, Joma drove off with three aliens in her car before returning alone to the courthouse for work.
Joma and Morrow are charged with conspiracy to transport and harbor illegal aliens, harboring illegal aliens, and obstruction of proceedings before departments and agencies. Joma is also charged with transporting illegal aliens. Their initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for June 11, 2026, at 10:15 a.m., in courtroom 8.4 at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Assistant United States Attorney Todd Bouton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy Townhall’s conservative reporting that takes on the radical Left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.
Join Townhall VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member