After breaking the oath she swore to uphold, a Wisconsin judge now faces federal charges for helping an illegal alien escape law enforcement right from her courtroom.
Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge Hannah Dugan was indicted by a grand jury, including a felony charge that could land her in prison for up to six years.
This case marks another bold move by the Trump administration to hold accountable those who obstruct federal immigration enforcement.
The federal grand jury delivered a two-count indictment against Judge Dugan for directing an illegal alien to exit through a nonpublic jury door to evade Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
The charges include obstructing or impeding a proceeding, a felony, and concealing an individual to prevent his discovery and arrest, a misdemeanor.
The incident occurred in Dugan’s courtroom during a pretrial hearing for Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican illegal facing domestic abuse charges.
According to court documents, Dugan became visibly angry when ICE agents appeared, questioned their lack of a judicial warrant, and directed them to the chief judge’s office before secretly escorting Flores-Ruiz out of the courtroom.
Dugan faces serious consequences if convicted: up to 6 years behind bars and fines reaching $350,000.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has already suspended her from the bench while the case proceeds.
It sends a clear message that judicial activism will not be tolerated when it interferes with federal law enforcement.
“If you are harboring a fugitive, we don’t care who you are, if you are helping hide…anyone who is illegally in this country, we will come after you and we will prosecute you. We will find you,” stated U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan, 66, is charged with obstructing a U.S. agency and concealing an individual, she faces up to six years in prison and a $350,000 fine, though nonviolent offense sentences are often shorter.
Dugan is expected to enter a plea at a May 15 hearing. https://t.co/Gzulsutpoz pic.twitter.com/oMU7O19IrS
— Intel Tower🗽 (@inteltower) May 13, 2025
This case represents a crucial chapter in President Donald Trump’s renewed crackdown on illegal immigration and those who enable it, regardless of their position or title.
The indictment sends a powerful message that no one, not even judges, is above the law when it comes to enforcing the nation’s immigration policies.
Dugan’s attorney continues to claim her innocence, stating after her arrest that she “looks forward to being vindicated in court.”
However, the facts laid out in the indictment paint a damning picture of a judge who chose to defy federal law enforcement rather than respect their authority.
The incident has exposed the ongoing resistance to immigration enforcement in liberal strongholds like Milwaukee County.
There, the Board of Supervisors had previously passed a resolution opposing ICE operations at the courthouse.
Such actions by local governments directly obstruct federal agencies from carrying out their lawful duties to protect American citizens.
“When federal immigration enforcement takes place in our courthouse complex, it sends families into hiding, deters survivors of violence from seeking protection and discourages tenants from asserting their rights,” claimed Milwaukee County Board Chair Marcelia Nicholson.
The prosecution has triggered outrage from Democrats and leftist legal advocates who claim it represents an attack on judicial independence.
However, this argument ignores the fact that no judge has the authority to help suspects evade federal law enforcement.
Judge Dugan, who was released on bond after her initial arrest last month, now faces the harsh reality of being on the other side of the bench.
Her case stands as a warning to other judges and officials who might consider placing their personal political views above their sworn duty to uphold the law.
