Milwaukee Judge Arrested for Obstructing Immigration Arrest

Introduction to the Case

The Trump administration significantly ramped up its clash over immigration with officials at the state and local level on Friday after FBI agents arrested a county judge in Milwaukee, accusing her of obstructing an immigration arrest.

The Arrest and Charges

“Just NOW, the FBI arrested Judge Hannah Dugan out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin on charges of obstruction — after evidence of Judge Dugan obstructing an immigration arrest operation last week,” FBI Director Kash Patel posted Friday morning on the social media site known as X. “We believe Judge Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse, Eduardo [Flores-Ruiz], allowing the subject — an illegal alien — to evade arrest,” Patel added. “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.” Brady McCarron, deputy chief of public affairs for the U.S. Marshals Service, confirmed that Dugan, a Milwaukee County circuit judge, was arrested by the FBI at 8:30 a.m. Friday.

Details of the Incident

Dugan was charged with “obstruction or impeding a proceeding before a department or agency of the United States” and “concealing an individual to prevent his discovery and arrest,” according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. An FBI special agent assigned to the Milwaukee Field Office said in an affidavit that Flores-Ruiz was charged on March 18 in Milwaukee with battery, domestic abuse and infliction of physical pain or injury. Agents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations subsequently identified Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican citizen, as “not lawfully in the United States” and obtained a warrant for his arrest.

The Confrontation in Court

But when ICE agents came to Dugan’s courthouse April 18 to arrest Flores-Ruiz following his criminal court appearance, the affidavit said, Dugan became “visibly angry” and commented that the situation was “absurd.” According to the affidavit, Dugan approached a deportation officer with a “confrontational, angry demeanor.” After asking officers from the arrest team whether they had a judicial warrant and demanding that they speak with the chief judge, Dugan then escorted Flores-Ruiz and his counsel out of the courtroom through a back “jury door,” which leads to a nonpublic area of the courthouse.

The Aftermath and Reaction

Flores-Ruiz was chased down by FBI and DEA agents outside the courthouse. After a foot chase, he was arrested. A week later, Dugan was arrested inside the courthouse. Dugan appeared in federal court on Friday before being released from custody. During the roughly four-minute hearing, court records show prosecutors advised Judge Stephen Dries that they would present the case to the grand jury and were not seeking to keep Dugan in custody. Dugan’s attorney, Craig Mastantuono, told the court her arrest was not made in the interest of public safety. Dugan is scheduled to appear in court again May 15.

Analysis and Implications

Since Donald Trump took office in January after campaigning on a platform of clamping down on immigration, his administration has moved swiftly to investigate and prosecute local officials who do not go along with its federal immigration enforcement priorities. Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law, said it’s highly unusual for the government to prosecute a judge for this type of conduct, particularly when it was able to apprehend the person it was initially seeking to arrest. “I think this is an attempt by the Trump administration to send a message with regard to how aggressive they’re going to be in enforcing immigration law,” Chemerinsky said. “It’s a message to judges that this administration has little respect for the judiciary and isn’t going to let the judiciary get in the way of what it wants to do.”

Previous Incidents and Reactions

This is not the first time that Trump’s administration has moved to penalize a local judge. In 2019, during Trump’s first presidency, a Massachusetts District Court judge, Shelley Joseph, was federally indicted by the Justice Department on obstruction of justice charges after preventing an ICE officer from taking custody of a defendant who was undocumented. The charges were dropped in 2022 after the judge agreed to refer herself to a forum designed to investigate and address judicial misconduct. In late 2024, the commission filed formal disciplinary charges against Joseph alleging that she engaged in willful judicial misconduct. Joseph has denied any wrongdoing. Since Trump returned to the White House in January, he has repeatedly lashed out at judges over unfavorable court orders.

Conclusion

The arrest of Judge Hannah Dugan marks a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s efforts to enforce its immigration policies, even if it means confronting the judiciary. The case highlights the deepening divide between federal authorities and local officials over immigration enforcement. As the legal proceedings against Judge Dugan unfold, it will be crucial to observe how the judiciary and the executive branch navigate this complex and contentious issue.

FAQs

1. Who is Judge Hannah Dugan?

   • Judge Hannah Dugan is a Milwaukee County circuit judge who was arrested by the FBI on charges of obstruction related to an immigration arrest.

2. What were the circumstances of her arrest?

   • Judge Dugan was arrested for allegedly obstructing an immigration arrest operation by intentionally misdirecting federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse.

3. What are the charges against her?

   • Dugan is charged with “obstruction or impeding a proceeding before a department or agency of the United States” and “concealing an individual to prevent his discovery and arrest.”

4. Is this the first time a judge has been penalized by the Trump administration?

   • No, in 2019, a Massachusetts District Court judge, Shelley Joseph, was federally indicted on obstruction of justice charges for preventing an ICE officer from taking custody of a defendant who was undocumented.
5. How have local and federal politicians reacted to Judge Dugan’s arrest?
   • Several local and federal Wisconsin politicians have issued statements condemning federal authorities for arresting Dugan, describing the move as an overreach and a threat to the system of checks and balances.