U.S. Judge Indicted for Allegedly Aiding Undocumented Migrant in Defiance of Federal Agents

A federal grand jury has indicted Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan on charges of obstruction of justice and concealing a person from arrest, after she allegedly helped an undocumented migrant evade immigration authorities, Al Jazeera reports.

Dugan, 66, was arrested last month and now faces up to six years in prison if convicted. Prosecutors say she attempted to prevent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from detaining Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, who was at the courthouse for a separate legal matter.

The incident occurred in April at the Milwaukee County Courthouse. According to court documents, ICE agents arrived to detain Flores-Ruiz—who had previously been deported in 2013 but had illegally re-entered the country. At the time, he was in court facing three misdemeanor domestic abuse charges stemming from an arrest in March.

Allegations of Interference

Federal prosecutors allege that Judge Dugan learned of ICE’s presence from her clerk, reacted angrily, and attempted to shield Flores-Ruiz from arrest by escorting him and his attorney out a back jury door.

An affidavit filed by federal agents describes Dugan as “visibly angry” and calling the presence of ICE officers in the courthouse “absurd.” Witnesses say she confronted the agents, demanded they speak with the court’s chief judge, and then returned to her courtroom, where she directed Flores-Ruiz and his lawyer to follow her.

Flores-Ruiz was ultimately apprehended by ICE outside the courthouse after a short foot pursuit.

Legal and Political Fallout

Dugan, who was elected to the bench in 2016, has denied any wrongdoing. Her attorney, Craig Mastantuono, said in a statement that Dugan “asserts her innocence and looks forward to being vindicated in court.” She is expected to plead not guilty at her upcoming hearing scheduled for Thursday.

The indictment has sparked a wave of protest, with demonstrators gathering outside the Milwaukee federal courthouse following Dugan’s arrest by the FBI on April 25. Critics say the case is politically motivated, part of what they call an aggressive campaign by President Donald Trump’s administration to crack down on immigration and silence dissent within the judiciary.

Democratic lawmakers and immigrant rights groups have accused the White House of using Dugan’s case to intimidate other judges who might push back against federal immigration enforcement efforts.