Judge who helped illegal escape from ICE convicted of felony obstruction
Posted For: Rotorblade
A federal jury on Thursday convicted a Milwaukee judge accused of helping an illegal immigrant briefly evade arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
After a four-day trial, the jury found Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan guilty of felony obstruction of justice. She was acquitted on a misdemeanor charge of concealing an individual to prevent arrest, according to CBS News. The conviction stems from an incident in April, when Dugan allegedly misdirected ICE agents and escorted an illegal immigrant out of a courthouse through a back door.
Federal Bureau of Investigation agents arrested Dugan in April following the incident. ICE officers were attempting to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an illegal immigrant, after a court hearing on a battery charge over which Dugan presided, the Associated Press reported. Flores-Ruiz was later apprehended by ICE agents after a foot chase.
“Former Wisconsin state judge Hannah Dugan betrayed her oath and the people she served when she obstructed federal law enforcement during an immigration enforcement operation,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote on X. “Today, a federal jury of her peers found her guilty and sent a clear message: the American people respect law and order.”
“Nobody is above the law,” Blanche added. “This Department will not tolerate obstruction, will enforce federal immigration law, and will hold criminals to account — even those who wear robes.”
Following Dugan’s arrest, Democratic activists and officials staged protests, arguing the case represented an attack on democratic values and the judicial branch. A similar case occurred in Massachusetts in 2019 during President Trump’s administration, though charges in that case were later dropped by the Biden administration.
U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel of the Eastern District of Wisconsin rejected claims that Dugan was being treated unfairly, saying she was not a “martyr.”
“This is a serious matter for which the United States government found it necessary to hold the defendant accountable,” Schimel said at a post-verdict press conference Thursday. He emphasized that courthouses are among the safest locations for law enforcement to execute arrest warrants due to security screenings.
“That’s why federal agents sought to carry out the arrest inside the Milwaukee County Courthouse,” Schimel said. “The defendant’s actions allowed a wanted individual to flee outside that secure environment, leading to a dangerous foot chase.”
About Post Author
