On Friday, the FBI arrested Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan for allegedly assisting a man in evading immigration authorities. The case has intensified the ongoing friction between local officials and the Trump administration regarding immigration enforcement.
Judge Dugan is accused of escorting the defendant, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, and his lawyer out of the courthouse through a restricted jury door after being alerted to the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents by her clerk. Following her actions, Flores-Ruiz was ultimately apprehended by agents outside the courthouse after a foot chase.
The incident has heightened tensions as federal authorities claim that local leaders are interfering with immigration enforcement. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers expressed concern over the Trump administration’s rhetoric targeting the judiciary, affirming his commitment to the rule of law and the impartiality of judicial decision-making.
Dugan was arrested on the courthouse grounds and appeared briefly in federal court later that day. She faces charges of concealing an individual to prevent his arrest and obstructing justice. Her attorney stated that Dugan regrets her arrest and believes it was not justified for public safety.
According to court documents, Dugan reacted angrily to ICE’s presence and voiced her discontent, labeling the situation as “absurd.” The affidavit indicates that she engaged with the ICE agents in a confrontational manner before leading them away from the courtroom and subsequently escorting Flores-Ruiz and his lawyer covertly through a back door.
Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned Dugan’s actions, asserting that she endangered both law enforcement and the public. Meanwhile, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin described Dugan’s arrest as a serious threat to the separation of powers, insisting that the actions of the Trump administration jeopardise democratic values.
This incident recalls a previous case from the early Trump administration involving a Massachusetts judge accused of aiding another individual to escape immigration enforcement, which was later dropped under the Biden administration. The current political climate indicates that the Justice Department is taking a hardline approach to local officials who obstruct immigration enforcement, with prosecutors advised to explore potential criminal charges against them.
Judge Dugan has held her position since being elected in 2016, having previously worked with legal aid organisations. She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. As the fallout from this arrest continues, it raises significant questions about the relationship between federal enforcement and the judiciary amid evolving immigration policies.