A sitting Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge, Hannah Dugan, was arrested by the FBI on allegations obstructing arrest of illegal immigrant, following claims she interfered with a federal immigration enforcement operation.
According to reporting from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Judge Dugan allegedly assisted an undocumented immigrant in evading arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents after a court hearing last week.
The incident reportedly occurred on April 18 at the Milwaukee County Courthouse, where ICE agents had arrived with a warrant for Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, who had just appeared before Dugan on misdemeanor battery charges.
FBI Director Kash Patel, in a now-deleted social media post, accused the judge of intentionally misleading federal agents to allow Flores-Ruiz—whom he described as “an illegal alien”—to escape arrest. “We believe Judge Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject… allowing the subject to evade arrest,” Patel wrote.
He further claimed that agents were forced to pursue Flores-Ruiz on foot, putting the public at greater risk due to the judge’s actions.
The controversial post was deleted shortly after being published, but not before it circulated widely online.
The FBI confirmed that Judge Dugan was taken into custody at approximately 8:30 a.m. Friday morning at the courthouse. A spokesperson for the U.S. Marshals Service verified the arrest, which has already sparked a firestorm of political and legal commentary.
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley responded to the news with caution, emphasizing the importance of due process. “Like any individual in this country, I believe she is entitled to due process. We should let the facts come to light and the legal process play out,” Crowley said in a public statement.
Meanwhile, Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI) voiced strong concerns about the circumstances of the arrest, calling it a potential example of federal overreach. “Having federal law enforcement come into local communities and arrest a judge is a serious matter and would require a high legal bar,” Moore stated. “This Administration’s willingness to weaponize federal law enforcement is shocking, and this arrest has all the hallmarks of overreach.”
— Rep. Gwen Moore (@RepGwenMoore) April 25, 2025
As of now, details surrounding Flores-Ruiz’s whereabouts following the courthouse incident remain unclear, and the charges against him have not been updated.
The Department of Justice has not released a formal complaint or affidavit detailing the specific allegations against Judge Dugan, and it remains to be seen whether federal prosecutors will pursue formal obstruction charges in court.
This arrest marks a rare and controversial moment: a federal law enforcement agency targeting a sitting judge for alleged interference with an immigration operation. It comes amid ongoing national debates about the boundaries between federal immigration enforcement and local jurisdiction, particularly in so-called “sanctuary” communities where cooperation with ICE is limited.
Legal experts warn that if the case proceeds, it could set a significant precedent concerning judicial immunity, federal enforcement powers, and the limits of discretion in courtroom management.
As of Friday afternoon, Judge Dugan had not issued a public statement, and no court date has been announced.