In a courtroom incident that has sparked new tensions between the judiciary and the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, FBI agents on Friday ( local time ) arrested Milwaukee county circuit court judge Hannah Dugan, accusing her of helping a man evade federal immigration agents.
Dugan was accused of obstructing a proceeding, concealing an adult, and preventing his identification and imprisonment. Authorities claim that she escorted Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, 30, through a locked courtroom door to deter U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) officers, who later detained him after a foot chase outside the courthouse.
Judge Dugan expresses her regret and protests over her imprisonment. During a simple court appearance following her arrest, her counsel Craig Mastantuono remarked that it was not made in the interest of public safety. Dugan was afterwards freed.
This imprisonment adds to an already contentious relationship between the executive branch and the court, which the Trump presidency has frequently accused local authorities of obstructing federal immigration enforcement. Attorney General Pam Bondi remarked,” The rule of law is very simple. It doesn’t matter what industry you work in. We may follow the information and sue you if you violate the law.
Court records show that Dugan’s assistant gave her a notification that ICE officials were present. Witnesses alleged that Flores-Ruiz appeared “visibly angry,” called the circumstance “absurd,” and led agents to the main court’s office before opening a jury door into a courthouse that wasn’t open to the public. The entrance was generally only used by juries, representatives, and in-custody defendants, never by lawyers or un-detained individuals, according to the FBI affidavit.
Flores-Ruiz, who had formerly been deported in 2013, was in court for a hearing on misdemeanor domestic cell allegations. He faces a$ 10,000 good for each of the three works and up to nine months in jail if found guilty.
Governor of Wisconsin Tony Evers criticized the arrest, claiming that” the Trump administration has frequently used harmful rhetoric to attack and attempt to undermine our courts at every level.”
Senator Tammy Baldwin referred to the action as “gravely critical and radical” and threatened the separation of powers. At a rally outside the national court, civil head Emilio De Torre stated,” She was undoubtedly trying to make sure that due method is not interrupted and that the holiness of the courts is upheld.
The situation resembles the initial Trump administration’s trial of a Massachusetts determine, which was eventually overturned under President Biden.
Judge Dugan recently worked for the Legal Aid Society and Legal Action of Wisconsin. She is a graduate of Wisconsin-Madison University.
