Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan Arrested for Allegedly Aiding Undocumented Immigrant to Evade ICE Arrest
In a dramatic turn of events, Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested by federal authorities on the morning of April 25. She faces serious charges of obstruction of justice and concealing an individual, following allegations that she helped an undocumented immigrant avoid detention during a court appearance last week.
Dugan, 65, is scheduled for a court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen Dries at the Federal Courthouse in downtown Milwaukee. According to officials, the veteran judge—who has served on the bench since 2016—was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service at the Milwaukee County Courthouse around 8 a.m.
Federal officials accuse Judge Dugan of intervening in an active immigration enforcement operation, misdirecting agents in a way that allegedly allowed 30-year-old Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national charged with misdemeanor battery, to flee from the scene. Flores-Ruiz is now listed as being held in ICE custody at the Dodge Detention Facility.
The FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office have not yet issued formal statements, though a since-deleted social media post from former intelligence official Kash Patel appeared to confirm Dugan’s involvement in obstructing federal agents.
Chief Judge Carl Ashley acknowledged the arrest in internal communications, while other judges at the courthouse confirmed the incident.
The misdemeanor case tied to Flores-Ruiz stems from a violent altercation on March 12 in Milwaukee’s West Side, during which he reportedly punched another man repeatedly and assaulted a woman who tried to intervene.
Prominent Milwaukee defense attorney Franklyn Gimbel sharply criticized the manner of Dugan’s arrest, calling it “outrageous” and “unprofessional.” He argued that as a sitting judge with a permanent residence, Dugan should have been allowed to surrender voluntarily rather than being arrested like “a common criminal.”
Dugan was elected in 2016 after defeating a gubernatorial appointee and is currently serving a term that runs through 2028. She typically presides over misdemeanor cases in Milwaukee County’s Branch 31.
This incident marks the third known instance in recent months of ICE activity inside the Milwaukee County Courthouse, underscoring rising tensions between federal immigration enforcement and local judicial processes.
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