A Wisconsin judge has been arrested and charged with obstructing immigration authorities after she allegedly helped a man evade arrest in her courtroom. Hannah Dugan, a Milwaukee County Circuit Judge, is accused of allowing a man facing misdemeanor charges to avoid immigration authorities when they attempted to arrest him on April 18.
According to a criminal complaint filed by the U.S. Justice Department, Dugan refused to hand over Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, who was the subject of an arrest by immigration agents, and instead escorted him and his attorney through a non-public area of the courthouse. This action led to charges of obstructing a proceeding and concealing an individual to prevent arrest.
The incident has sparked protests, with a crowd outside the courthouse chanting “free the judge now” after her brief court appearance. Dugan was released and is scheduled to enter a plea on May 15.
The charge comes amid President Trump’s ongoing crackdown on illegal immigration, with the Justice Department directing federal prosecutors to pursue criminal cases against local officials who obstruct such efforts.
FBI Director Kash Patel initially posted on social media about the arrest, calling Flores-Ruiz an “illegal alien,” but deleted the post after it violated federal secrecy rules. David Crowley, Milwaukee County Executive, criticized the FBI’s response, suggesting that the Trump administration is more focused on weaponizing law enforcement against opposition than pursuing justice.
This case highlights ongoing tensions between federal immigration enforcement and local judges, especially regarding actions taken during courtroom proceedings.
