Newsom-Appointed Judge Faces Scrutiny After Fatal Stabbing

Before joining the bench, Holmes worked as a deputy district attorney in Contra Costa County from February 2012 to April 2024. During that time, she handled cases involving sexual assault, domestic violence, child trafficking, and community violence. She also worked for four years in the county’s Domestic Violence Unit and in the Community Violence Reduction Unit. Holmes graduated from Spelman College in 1990 and from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 2010.

The killing has also become a flashpoint in California politics. Republican lawmakers have used the case to attack the state’s sanctuary approach and what they call a lenient justice system. Assemblyman David Tangipa, a Fresno Republican, said Stewart “should be alive today” and argued the death could have been prevented if existing laws had been enforced. He blamed Newsom’s sanctuary policies and activist judges for endangering Americans. The Newsom administration, however, did not address Holmes’ release decision directly and said Iriarte-Valdez should be held responsible for Stewart’s death.

A spokesperson for the governor said California takes public safety seriously and argued that nothing in state law prevents federal authorities from enforcing immigration law. The spokesperson added that the federal government has the resources to do that work instead of blaming California for ICE’s enforcement failures. Fox News Digital said it reached out to Holmes for comment. The dispute now sits at the intersection of criminal justice, immigration enforcement, and public safety, and it is likely to keep drawing attention as officials face pressure over how repeat offenders are handled in California courts. For American readers, the case is a reminder that decisions made in local courtrooms can carry life-or-death consequences far beyond the courthouse.