Not an Attack on Judicial Independence: Judge Charged with Obstructing ICE Arrest

Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan has been charged with obstructing immigration agents by allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant evade arrest through a jury door at the courthouse.

This is not an attack on judicial independence, but rather an enforcement of the law.

On April 25, 2025, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested by the FBI and charged with two federal felonies: obstruction of an official proceeding and concealing an individual to prevent discovery and arrest.

The charges stem from an April 18 incident at the Milwaukee County Courthouse, where Dugan allegedly helped Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a 30-year-old illegal Mexican national, evade arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

Flores-Ruiz was appearing for a pretrial conference on three misdemeanor battery charges with domestic abuse modifiers, stemming from a March 12 altercation.

Court records state he allegedly attacked three individuals during a dispute over loud music at his Milwaukee residence, injuring a man and a woman so severely that they required hospitalization.

Federal authorities confirmed Flores-Ruiz had been deported to Mexico in January 2013 under an Expedited Removal order and had no documented legal reentry into the United States.

According to an FBI affidavit, Dugan became “visibly angry” upon learning that ICE agents were present with an administrative arrest warrant.

She allegedly called the situation “absurd,” adjourned Flores-Ruiz’s hearing, and escorted him and his attorney through a non-public “jury door” exit to avoid the agents stationed in the public hallway.

Dugan also confronted the ICE officers, challenged the validity of their warrant, and redirected them to the chief judge’s office, a move prosecutors claim was intended to mislead and delay.

Despite these efforts, Flores-Ruiz was later apprehended outside the courthouse after a brief foot chase.

If convicted, Dugan faces up to five years in federal prison.

She was arrested at the courthouse, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen C. Dries, and was released pending further proceedings.

Her attorney said she “regrets and protests her arrest,” denying the accuracy of some reports.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi emphasized that “no one is above the law,” highlighting the severity of the assault and criticizing Dugan for allegedly prioritizing a “criminal defendant over victims.”

Meanwhile, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers and Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. Mark Pocan, condemned the arrest as an attack on judicial independence, with Pocan comparing it to tactics used in “Third World countries.”

The Milwaukee City Council also called the arrest “shocking and upsetting.” Conversely, State Rep. Bob Donovan urged a thorough investigation, stating that if the allegations are true, Dugan’s actions were “irresponsible.”

This case is part of a growing pattern of public officials interfering with ICE deportations and harboring or abetting illegal aliens or individuals who have violated the terms of their residency, including those charged with serious crimes.

In April 2018, Massachusetts District Court Judge Shelley M. Richmond Joseph and court officer Wesley MacGregor were accused of allowing an undocumented immigrant to exit the courthouse through a rear door to evade ICE agents waiting in the lobby.

Both were indicted in 2019 on charges of conspiracy and obstruction of justice.

In 2022, federal prosecutors dropped the charges against Joseph in exchange for her agreement to refer herself to the Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct and admit to certain facts.

The commission later filed formal misconduct charges, and Joseph now faces potential removal from the bench.

In February 2018, then-Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf publicly warned residents about impending ICE raids, claiming she had learned of the operations through unofficial channels.

Although Schaaf was not criminally charged, her actions drew sharp criticism from federal officials, including then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who argued that her warning allowed some individuals to evade arrest.

In April 2025, New York City Mayor Eric Adams proposed allowing ICE agents to operate within the Rikers Island jail complex as part of a broader effort to combat violent transnational gangs.

The plan faced immediate legal challenges, with the New York City Council filing a lawsuit claiming the move violated sanctuary city policies and constituted a quid pro quo arrangement with the Trump administration.

In response, Judge Mary Rosado issued a temporary restraining order preventing the plan from being implemented, pending further hearings.

These cases highlight the difficulty the Trump administration is facing in fighting illegal immigration and deporting illegals and those who have violated their terms of residency.

By some estimates, there are nearly 20 million illegals in the country, and Trump basically has until the midterms to deport them.

It is a sad situation that a large percentage of Americans now favor open borders and support violating immigration law, even to the point of declaring sanctuary cities and harboring wanted criminals.

The post Not an Attack on Judicial Independence: Judge Charged with Obstructing ICE Arrest appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.