5 Things We Know About Wisconsin Judge’s Arrest for Allegedly Obstructing ICE

Judge Hannah Dugan faces felony obstruction charges as well as preventing an illegal immigrant from being arrested.

Judge Hannah Dugan in Milwaukee in 2016. Lee Matz/Milwaukee Independent via AP

Court papers filed in the arrest of Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan provided more details about why she was arrested, including an affidavit submitted by an FBI special agent that said she allowed an illegal immigrant to escape through a jury door before he was arrested by federal officials.

On Friday, FBI Special Agent Lindsay Schloemer submitted an affidavit saying that agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) attempted to serve an arrest warrant for an illegal immigrant identified as Eduardo Flores-Ruiz following a scheduled criminal court appearance before Dugan earlier this month.

New Details on Arrest

Court papers suggest Dugan was alerted to the presence of ICE agents in the courthouse by her clerk, who was informed by an attorney that they appeared to be in the hallway.

Dugan confronted the officers in the courthouse, according to the FBI agent, and told them to speak with the chief judge in his office, while demanding that they have a judicial warrant. Officials said that they instead had an administrative arrest, and the judge told them they must obtain a judicial one, the agent said.

Dugan did not hold the court hearing. Instead, she allegedly escorted Flores-Ruiz through a jury door and evaded agents who were waiting to arrest him, according to a Department of Justice statement. Flores-Ruiz escaped the courthouse and was apprehended by agents outside the building after a foot chase, the agent said, citing multiple witnesses in the courtroom.

“For example, the courtroom deputy recalled that upon the courtroom deputy’s return to the courtroom, defense counsel for Flores-Ruiz was talking to the clerk, and Flores-Ruiz was seated in the jury box, rather than in the gallery,” the affidavit stated. “The courtroom deputy believed that counsel and the clerk were having an off-the-record conversation to pick the next court date. Defense counsel and Flores-Ruiz then walked toward each other and toward the public courtroom exit.”

Dugan then allegedly got up and told Flores-Ruize to “come with me,” a courtroom deputy told the FBI. Dugan is then alleged to have escorted the individual and his lawyer through the jury door, “which leads to a non public area of the courthouse.”

“According to the courtroom deputy, only deputies, juries, court staff, and in-custody defendants being escorted by deputies used the back jury door. Defense attorneys and defendants who were not in custody never used the jury door,” the court papers say.

Later, Dugan “commanded” Flores-Ruiz and his attorney to leave through a back door of the courtroom. Another attorney working on behalf of the state then realized that Flores-Ruiz’s case was never called by the judge and was later adjourned, according to the affidavit.

Another witness who works for the court said that Dugan allegedly instructed Flores-Ruiz and “an unknown Hispanic woman” believed to be his attorney to leave through the jury door.

Later, Flores-Ruiz “makes it out of the courthouse and is arrested after a foot chase,” the FBI official said.

Charges Filed

Federal prosecutors charged Dugan with obstructing or impeding a proceeding before a department or agency of the United States and concealing an individual to prevent his discovery and arrest.

The judge appeared in a brief court hearing on Friday and was released from custody. She is scheduled to make her next court appearance on May 15.

“Judge Dugan wholeheartedly regrets and protests her arrest. It was not made in the interest of public safety,” her attorney, Craig Mastantuono, said during the hearing, according to an Associated Press reporter.

“Hannah C. Dugan has committed herself to the rule of law and the principles of due process for her entire career as a lawyer and a judge,” an attorney for Dugan told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel in a statement. “Judge Dugan will defend herself vigorously, and looks forward to being exonerated.”

Announced by Trump Admin Officials

U.S. Attorney Pam Bondi wrote on X: “I can confirm that our FBI agents just arrested Hannah Dugan–a county judge in Milwaukee–for allegedly helping an illegal alien avoid an arrest by” immigration officials.

Earlier Friday, FBI Director Kash Patel wrote an X post about the arrest.

“Just NOW, the FBI arrested Judge Hannah Dugan out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin on charges of obstruction—after evidence of Judge Dugan obstructing an immigration arrest operation last week,” Patel wrote in the now-deleted post.

“We believe Judge Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, allowing the subject—an illegal alien—to evade arrest.”

Democrats Respond

Democrats said that the arrest will have a chilling effect on the judiciary. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) released a statement that said the arrest is a sign that the Trump administration allegedly isn’t respecting the U.S. Constitution’s checks and balances.

“The President’s administration arresting a sitting judge is a gravely serious and drastic move, and it threatens to breach those very separations of power,” her statement said, adding that it is a sign of an attack on the judicial system.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, alleged that the arrest is part of a broader effort to “undermine our judiciary at every level.” He did not go into details about the arrest or charges.

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said in a statement: “It is remarkable that the Administration would dare to start arresting state court judges.

“It’s a whole new descent into government chaos.”

Flores-Ruiz Faces Battery Charges

Flores-Ruiz faces three misdemeanor battery charges for allegedly beating up two people earlier this year.

In March, a criminal complaint was filed against Flores-Ruiz, 30, accused him misdemeanor battery and domestic abuse, including the infliction of physical pain or injury. The three alleged incidents occurred on March 12 after an officer approached a residence for a battery call.

“On-scene the defendant claimed it was a mutual fight between himself and [another individual who was not named] that arose because the defendant was playing loud music,” according to the complaint.

The other individual said that Flores-Ruiz was his roommate and confronted him about music being played too loudly. That started an altercation in which Flores-Ruiz allegedly struck the other person “in the face and body with a closed fist approximately 30 times.”

When a woman identified as the victim’s girlfriend tried to intervene, Flores-Ruiz then allegedly attacked her, according to the complaint.

The Epoch Times has contacted Dugan, her lawyer, and the FBI for comment on Friday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the occurrence of a court hearing by Judge Dugan. The Epoch Times regrets the error.