• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested Friday by the FBI and charged in federal court with allegedly obstructing immigration enforcement efforts and assisting an illegal immigrant in avoiding arrest in a courthouse. The federal indictments for obstruction of justice and concealment of a person from arrest represent a significant intensification of the Trump administration's targeting of local authorities, especially members of the judiciary, seen as thwarting federal immigration efforts.

Judge Dugan is charged with ordering Mexican national Eduardo Flores-Ruiz and his lawyer out a non-public door in her courtroom on April 18, when federal agents were lurking outside to arrest him, according to the Department of Justice. Flores-Ruiz had been deported once before in 2013 and returned to the US illegally. He was being charged with domestic abuse when immigration authorities became aware of his return.

FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X (formerly Twitter), stating: “We believe Judge Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse, Eduardo Flores Ruiz, allowing the subject — an illegal alien — to evade arrest. Thankfully, our agents chased down the perp on foot, and he’s been in custody since, but the Judge’s obstruction created increased danger to the public.”

Controversial Arrest Sparks Partisan Divide

Judge Dugan, who was elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2022, had her first court appearance and was released on her recognizance. Her second hearing is to be heard on May 15. If found guilty, she could face up to six years in prison and 350,000 USD in fines. Her lawyer explained that the judge "wholeheartedly regrets and protests her arrest," contending it was not in the name of public safety. The scene in the courtroom, as laid out in the FBI affidavit, is one of a standoff between Dugan and the federal officers, whom she allegedly informed that they did not have the correct warrant and commanded to report to the chief judge at the courthouse. While agents were away, the judge allegedly guided Flores-Ruiz out of a side “jury door.” He briefly fled the building but was captured after a short foot chase.

Reactions Highlight Political Tensions

Attorney General Pam Bondi, a key figure in the Trump administration’s legal apparatus, supported the move, telling Fox News: “If you’re obstructing justice and helping a criminal defendant escape, that will not be tolerated.”

“This is a gravely serious and drastic move,” said Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), warning that targeting a sitting judge undermines democratic institutions. Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson labeled the arrest “showboating” that could discourage victims and witnesses from coming to court.

The case recalls a comparable 2019 situation involving Massachusetts Judge Shelley Joseph, who was charged with obstruction for allegedly facilitating an undocumented immigrant's escape from ICE arrest in her courtroom. Those charges were subsequently dismissed, but the case raised long-standing controversy. Judge Dugan's arrest puts her squarely at the eye of an increasingly heated national argument about federal immigration enforcement vs. judicial discretion and has potentially established a new precedent about just how aggressively federal officials are prepared to crack down on enforcing immigration law.