Wisconsin Judge Faces Federal Charges After Allegedly Aiding Immigration Suspect

 

A Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge is facing serious federal charges after allegedly attempting to obstruct the arrest of an undocumented immigrant by federal agents. Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested by the FBI and charged with obstruction of justice and concealing an individual to avoid arrest, potentially facing up to six years in prison if convicted on both counts.

 

FBI Director Kash Patel announced Dugan’s arrest, accusing her of “intentionally misdirecting” immigration agents who were attempting to detain Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national wanted on an immigration warrant. “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,” Patel stated in a post on X.

 

According to court documents filed by the FBI, the events unfolded on April 18 when six agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Agency arrived at the Milwaukee County courthouse to arrest Flores-Ruiz. The day before, an immigration judge had issued a warrant for his arrest following charges of three misdemeanor counts of battery related to a domestic altercation.

 

When Judge Dugan became aware of the agents' presence outside her courtroom, the FBI affidavit reports she appeared visibly frustrated, calling the situation “absurd” before stepping down from the bench and entering her chambers. The judge then confronted the agents in the hallway and questioned the validity of the warrant, directing them to the office of the county’s chief judge.

 

 

While several agents followed her instruction and went to that office, the affidavit alleges that Dugan escorted Flores-Ruiz and his attorney through a side door meant for jury members. Despite this attempt to evade detection, two remaining agents near the courtroom identified the fleeing Flores-Ruiz and apprehended him after a brief foot pursuit. Authorities later revealed that Flores-Ruiz had previously been deported from the United States in 2013.

 

Judge Dugan was released on her own recognizance and is scheduled for a court hearing on May 15.

 

The incident quickly drew national attention, especially following the recent arrest of a former New Mexico judge accused of harboring a suspected Venezuelan gang member. Attorney General Pam Bondi, speaking to Fox News, said, “I think some of these judges think they are beyond and above the law and they are not. And if you are destroying evidence, if you are obstructing justice, when you have victims sitting in a courtroom of domestic violence, and you're escorting a criminal defendant out a back door, it will not be tolerated.”

 

Political reaction to Dugan’s arrest has been sharply divided. Senator Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat from Wisconsin, criticized the federal government's actions, stating, “Make no mistake, we do not have kings in this country and we are a democracy governed by laws that everyone must abide by. By relentlessly attacking the judicial system, flouting court orders, and arresting a sitting judge, this President is putting those basic democratic values that Wisconsinites hold dear on the line.”

 

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson echoed that sentiment, calling the arrest “showboating” and warning that it would have a “chilling effect” on court proceedings. Meanwhile, Republican Senator Ron Johnson supported the arrest, telling the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “I would advise everyone to cooperate with federal law enforcement and not endanger them and the public by obstructing their efforts to arrest criminals and illegal aliens.”

 

Judge Dugan, first elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2022, has been endorsed in the past by Milwaukee’s Democratic mayor. Judicial races in Wisconsin are officially nonpartisan, but the political implications of this case are already sparking broader debate.

 

If convicted, Dugan faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the obstruction charge, and an additional year and $100,000 fine for the concealment charge.

 

  Adpated by ASEAN Now from BBC  2025-04-26

 

 

How about that, another judge with a mental disorder of the criminal left.

2 hours ago, novacova said:

How about that, another judge with a mental disorder of the criminal left.

 

She's probably been releasing criminal illegals for years, to go back out and re-offend.

 

 

And the defense of punishing judges is:

 

 “I expect the legal profession to understand that the nation is not here for them but they are here for the nation..From now on, I shall intervene in these cases and remove from office those judges who evidently do not understand”

Quite right,

 

3 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Quite right,

 

 

 

The Supreme Court ruled that trump has “absolute immunity” from criminal prosecution for acts relating to “core constitutional duties.”

 

 

2 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

 

 

The Supreme Court ruled that trump has “absolute immunity” from criminal prosecution for acts relating to “core constitutional duties.”

 

 

She's not the president  she'll have her day in court, from the other side this time

4 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

She's not the president  she'll have her day in court, from the other side this time

 

Kash Patel said "No one is above the law."

 

I was replying to his silly claim.

 

trump is above the law.

 

 

Will she end up in El Salvador?

Homegrown terrorist?

16 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

 

Kash Patel said "No one is above the law."

 

I was replying to his silly claim.

 

trump is above the law.

 

 

Grow up, it also extends to people pardoned by presidents and ex presidents. 

 

Even your childish use of incorrect grammar when spelling the presidents name is showing you for what you are.

Another activist judge. More madness from the progressive left.

28 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

 

 

The Supreme Court ruled that trump has “absolute immunity” from criminal prosecution for acts relating to “core constitutional duties.”

 

 

So does Barack Obama, for murder.

 

 

The left-wing bedwetters on here will be apoplectic about this; bring on the hilarity and faux indignation.

 

 

 

 

Yea she should be put into stocks then whipped to death on live tv ….gee I wonder what the punishment would be if a person found an illegal family in the desert and gave the water?shot or perhaps burning at the stake?oh I guess that’s not so bad guess life in the Salvadoran gulag…..obviously the judge took umbrage at these people interfering in her courtroom….truth be told it’s a slippery slope as reflected by the comments in this thread.its over the top and this administration looks more and more sinister every day.

26 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

So does Barack Obama, for murder.

So does trump for the espionage act for starters obstructing Justice rape and imbezzling and many counts of fraud attempted coup attempted murder of the vice president and on and on.

We got a two for:

A Once respected judge

and another once deported illegal .

1 hour ago, jvs said:

Will she end up in El Salvador?

Homegrown terrorist?

We can only hope!!!

1 hour ago, Tug said:

So does trump for the espionage act for starters obstructing Justice rape and imbezzling and many counts of fraud attempted coup attempted murder of the vice president and on and on.

You have no facts to justify the foregoing therefore you again show yourself to be liar

4 hours ago, Tug said:

Yea she should be put into stocks then whipped to death on live tv ….gee I wonder what the punishment would be if a person found an illegal family in the desert and gave the water?shot or perhaps burning at the stake?oh I guess that’s not so bad guess life in the Salvadoran gulag…..obviously the judge took umbrage at these people interfering in her courtroom….truth be told it’s a slippery slope as reflected by the comments in this thread.its over the top and this administration looks more and more sinister every day.

Straw man rant from a leftie who would have preferred there were no consequences for her actions

If you want a transcript of the marvelous Charging complaint !

All the details from the charging authorities are in the transcript.

From the court officers being told  Federal Authorities were there ,to The Judge angrily greeting them in the hall to Eyewitnesses accounts.

See you in court Judge!

https://www.scribd.com/document/853968989/Feds-bust-Wisconsin-judge-for-allegedly-helping-illegal-migrant-accused-of-punching-victim-30-times-evade-ICE-agents

 

7 hours ago, Tug said:

Yea she should be put into stocks then whipped to death on live tv ….gee I wonder what the punishment would be if a person found an illegal family in the desert and gave the water?shot or perhaps burning at the stake?oh I guess that’s not so bad guess life in the Salvadoran gulag…..obviously the judge took umbrage at these people interfering in her courtroom….truth be told it’s a slippery slope as reflected by the comments in this thread.its over the top and this administration looks more and more sinister every day.

It's not "umbrage" that got her arrested.

 

She intentionally committed a criminal act and willfully violated USC section 1324, with full knowledge of what she was doing. Yes, another federal judge agreed there was probable cause to arrest her.

 

The problem isn't the arrest. It's the radical left attempting to turn this criminal judge into some kind of martyr.

 

If can't do the time, don't do the crime.  She can be imprisoned for up to 15 years for what she did. She's not the victim here.

 

Edit: lest you believe the nonsense that this arrest was made without due process, here is the actual arrest warrant signed by Judge Stephen Dries.

 

1 hour ago, uncletiger said:

It's not "umbrage" that got her arrested.

 

She intentionally committed a criminal act and willfully violated USC section 1324, with full knowledge of what she was doing. Yes, another federal judge agreed there was probable cause to arrest her.

 

The problem isn't the arrest. It's the radical left attempting to turn this criminal judge into some kind of martyr.

 

If can't do the time, don't do the crime.  She can be imprisoned for up to 15 years for what she did. She's not the victim here.

 

Edit: lest you believe the nonsense that this arrest was made without due process, here is the actual arrest warrant signed by Judge Stephen Dries.

 

She ALLEGEDLY intentionally committed a criminal act and ALLEGEDLY willfully violated USC section 1324.

Serious issues with these activist extremist lefty judges in the US.

 

They need to drain the swamp. 

 

A decade in prison would set a good precedent to set with this lunatic. 

9 hours ago, Tug said:

Yea she should be put into stocks then whipped to death on live tv ….gee I wonder what the punishment would be if a person found an illegal family in the desert and gave the water?shot or perhaps burning at the stake?oh I guess that’s not so bad guess life in the Salvadoran gulag…..obviously the judge took umbrage at these people interfering in her courtroom….truth be told it’s a slippery slope as reflected by the comments in this thread.its over the top and this administration looks more and more sinister every day.

Well done. A fantastic comment and represents very well the mindset of the progressive left. This "judge" broke the law. This is a fact. You're ok with that then?

9 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

She ALLEGEDLY intentionally committed a criminal act and ALLEGEDLY willfully violated USC section 1324.

 

Oh look, a left wing extremist defending another left wing extremist; quelle surprise   ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

P.S. using upper case letters is against forum etiquette; it is the online equivalent of shouting, so please stop being so shouty, and conduct yourself with a little more dignity.

 

 

 

 

18 hours ago, Tug said:

Yea she should be put into stocks then whipped to death on live tv ….gee I wonder what the punishment would be if a person found an illegal family in the desert and gave the water?shot or perhaps burning at the stake?oh I guess that’s not so bad guess life in the Salvadoran gulag…..obviously the judge took umbrage at these people interfering in her courtroom….truth be told it’s a slippery slope as reflected by the comments in this thread.its over the top and this administration looks more and more sinister every day.

You are one sick confused person, how many of these illegals are you supporting?

Conveniently ignored is that the initial actions of  ICE may have been illegal.

 

1. ICE showed up in the courtroom and sought to interject in the middle of a proceeding.The protocol is that  any action must  first be authorized by  the chief judge of the courthouse. Police cannot burst into a court room and demand to arrest a person. 

 

2. The judge stated that the warrant ICE had was not appropriate and that it needed a different type of warrant to arrest the accused. 

Either the  correct legal procedures are followed or they are not. If not, the rule of law disintegrates.

 

Allowing government  agents to arrest anyone without  respecting legal procedures or the law itself sets a precedent. Next time   they won't be arresting alleged  immigration offenders.

 

19 hours ago, Tug said:

Yea she should be put into stocks then whipped to death on live tv ….gee I wonder what the punishment would be if a person found an illegal family in the desert and gave the water?shot or perhaps burning at the stake?oh I guess that’s not so bad guess life in the Salvadoran gulag…..obviously the judge took umbrage at these people interfering in her courtroom….truth be told it’s a slippery slope as reflected by the comments in this thread.its over the top and this administration looks more and more sinister every day.

Really? The police had a legal arrest warrant which Judges sign prior to the criminals capture. This woman aided in his escape. She is no different from any other person simply because she is a lower court judge. She swore to uphold the laws. She should lose her position as judge as well as serve time for aiding and abetting the escape of a wanted man. It is only you who dramatize what happened to try to make these laws into more than they are so you can demoralize public as well as try to make Trump look bad. Get off your high horse. 

The judge did not take umbrage for them interfering. She took the man and showed him out through the back door reserved only for court personnel. Then got him completely out of the court house forcing the police to make chase which, could have endangered legal citizens outside. 

On 4/26/2025 at 6:52 AM, Social Media said:

While several agents followed her instruction and went to that office, the affidavit alleges that Dugan escorted Flores-Ruiz and his attorney through a side door meant for jury members. Despite this attempt to evade detection, two remaining agents near the courtroom identified the fleeing Flores-Ruiz and apprehended him after a brief foot pursuit. Authorities later revealed that Flores-Ruiz had previously been deported from the United States in 2013.

 

Yet all the loony lefties are pretending this is "Trump arresting a judge for not ruling the way he wants".  🙄

27 minutes ago, thesetat said:

Really? The police had a legal arrest warrant which Judges sign prior to the criminals capture. This woman aided in his escape. She is no different from any other person simply because she is a lower court judge. She swore to uphold the laws. She should lose her position as judge as well as serve time for aiding and abetting the escape of a wanted man. It is only you who dramatize what happened to try to make these laws into more than they are so you can demoralize public as well as try to make Trump look bad. Get off your high horse. 

The judge did not take umbrage for them interfering. She took the man and showed him out through the back door reserved only for court personnel. Then got him completely out of the court house forcing the police to make chase which, could have endangered legal citizens outside. 

The ‘warrant’ they had was an ‘administrative warrant’, it was not signed by a judge.