In a stunning development that highlights the growing clash between activist judges and federal immigration enforcement, the FBI has arrested Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan on charges of obstruction of justice and aiding an illegal immigrant in evading arrest.
Judge Dugan is accused of deliberately helping Eduardo Flores Ruiz—a previously deported Mexican national—escape federal agents who were waiting to detain him during a court appearance on April 18. Ruiz, who had been deported in 2013, returned illegally to the U.S. and was scheduled to appear in court for charges related to misdemeanor battery.
According to the FBI’s criminal complaint, federal agents from ICE, the DEA, Border Patrol, and the FBI were stationed in the courthouse and ready to arrest Ruiz after his hearing. Upon learning of their presence, Judge Dugan allegedly questioned the validity of their warrant, challenged their authority, and then took matters into her own hands.
Instead of proceeding normally, the judge reportedly adjourned the hearing, led Ruiz out through a private judge’s-only corridor, and allowed him to exit the building—bypassing the agents entirely. He then fled on foot. Ruiz was later apprehended.
FBI Director Kash Patel called Dugan’s actions a clear attempt to obstruct federal law enforcement. “Judge Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse, allowing the subject—an illegal alien—to evade arrest,” Patel said.
Attorney General Pam Bondi echoed those sentiments, declaring: “No one is above the law—not even those wearing robes and sitting behind a bench.”
Dugan was taken into custody on April 25 and charged with obstruction and harboring a fugitive. If convicted, she could face up to five years in federal prison. She has since been released on her own recognizance. Her defense attorney has claimed the arrest was “politically motivated,” but federal officials remain firm.
Judge Dugan, appointed to the bench in 2016, has been known for her progressive leanings and has been a vocal advocate of leniency in immigration cases. Her critics argue this case is the inevitable result of judges who treat federal immigration law as optional.
The incident mirrors a 2019 case during Trump’s first term, when a Massachusetts judge was similarly indicted for allegedly helping an illegal alien escape ICE custody through a courthouse basement door.
This latest case reignites debate over sanctuary policies, judicial activism, and the limits of so-called “discretion” when it interferes with federal law. While some on the left view the arrest as heavy-handed, supporters of law and order see it as long overdue.
“Judges who interfere with immigration enforcement are not heroes—they’re lawbreakers in black robes,” said one senior DOJ official.
The Trump administration has made clear that federal agents will continue to enforce immigration laws—regardless of whether certain state and local officials choose to cooperate or not.