Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan Arrested on Felony Charges for Allegedly Obstructing ICE

Summary: Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan faces two felony charges for allegedly interfering with an ICE arrest of an undocumented immigrant, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, who appeared in her courtroom. Dugan is accused of obstructing a U.S. agency and concealing an individual to prevent arrest. The incident occurred after ICE agents waited to apprehend Flores-Ruiz, who was facing misdemeanor battery charges.

Judge Dugan allegedly became angry, questioned the agents’ authority, and facilitated Flores-Ruiz’s exit through a side door, leading to his eventual apprehension after a brief chase. The arrest has sparked national debate, with reactions ranging from condemnation of the judge’s alleged actions to criticism of the manner and timing of her arrest.

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Highlights on circuit court judge hannah dugan

• Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested and charged with two felonies for allegedly obstructing federal immigration agents and helping an undocumented immigrant avoid arrest in her courtroom.
• The charges stem from an incident on April 18th where Judge Dugan allegedly assisted Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an undocumented Mexican immigrant facing misdemeanor battery charges, to evade ICE agents waiting to apprehend him after his court appearance.
• Prominent legal figures and politicians have reacted strongly to the arrest, with some calling it “outrageous” and an example of federal overreach, while others emphasize the importance of cooperating with law enforcement.

Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan Arrested on Felony Charges for Allegedly Obstructing ICE

Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India – April 26, 2025 – In a stunning development that has sent ripples through the legal and political landscape, Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested on April 25th and charged with two felony offenses related to allegedly assisting an undocumented immigrant evade arrest by federal immigration authorities.

The charges against Judge Hannah Dugan, 65, include obstructing a U.S. agency and concealing an individual to prevent an arrest, carrying a potential maximum penalty of six years in prison and a $350,000 fine, although legal experts note that sentences for nonviolent offenses are typically less severe.

Key Individuals	Role/Affiliation	Significance
Hannah Dugan	Milwaukee County Circuit Judge	Arrested and charged with two felonies for allegedly obstructing ICE.
Eduardo Flores-Ruiz	Undocumented Mexican Immigrant	Subject of the ICE arrest warrant and the individual Judge Hannah Dugan is accused of assisting.
Pam Bondi	Former U.S. Attorney General	Confirmed Hannah Dugan’s arrest on social media.
Kash Patel	Former FBI Director	Publicly commented on Hannah Dugan’s arrest, detailing the allegations.
Craig Mastantuono	Attorney for Hannah Dugan	Stated that Judge Hannah Dugan “regrets and protests her arrest.”
Steve Biskupic	Former U.S. Attorney	Now representing Hannah Dugan.
Stephen C. Dries	U.S. Magistrate Judge	Presided over Hannah Dugan’s initial court appearance.
Kelly Watzka	Federal Prosecutor	Declined to comment on the case.
Keith Alexander	Federal Prosecutor	Declined to comment on the case.
Franklyn Gimbel	Prominent Milwaukee Defense Attorney	Called Hannah Dugan’s arrest “outrageous.”
Tammy Baldwin	U.S. Democratic Senator (Wisconsin)	Described the arrest as governmental overreach.
Cavalier Johnson	Mayor of Milwaukee	Slammed the arrest as “ham-handed” and politically motivated.
Ron Johnson	U.S. Republican Senator (Wisconsin)	Advised cooperation with federal law enforcement.
Tom Tiffany	GOP Rep. (Wisconsin)	Stated that assisting illegal aliens to evade arrest will lead to arrest.
Marty Pruhs	Federal Attorney for Eduardo Flores-Ruiz	Mentioned that a judge assisted his client.
Carl Ashley	Chief Judge (Milwaukee County Circuit Court)	Referenced in the complaint as the individual Judge Hannah Dugan directed the ICE agents to see.

The 13-page complaint details an incident that occurred on April 18th, when Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan presided over a pretrial conference for Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an undocumented Mexican immigrant facing three misdemeanor battery charges. According to the complaint, Hannah Dugan allegedly took actions to help Flores-Ruiz avoid apprehension by ICE agents who were present at the Milwaukee County Courthouse to arrest him following his court appearance.

The sequence of events, as outlined in the complaint, began when ICE agents, part of the Milwaukee ICE task force, arrived at the courthouse in plain clothes around 8 a.m. on April 18th. They informed the bailiff in Judge Hannah Dugan’s courtroom of their intention to arrest Flores-Ruiz after his hearing. A clerk subsequently notified Wisconsin Judge Dugan about the presence of ICE agents waiting in the hallway.

The complaint states that Judge Dugan reacted with visible anger, calling the situation “absurd.” She reportedly left the bench and entered her chambers. Upon returning, Wisconsin Judge Dugan allegedly confronted the ICE agents, expressing a confrontational and angry demeanor. She insisted that they required a judicial warrant, not an administrative one, and directed them to the office of Chief Judge Carl Ashley.

While this interaction was ongoing, the bailiff informed the arrest team, which included officials from ICE, the FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Agency, that Judge Dugan had expedited Flores-Ruiz’s case. Witnesses reportedly told federal authorities that she then “forcefully motioned” for the defendant and his attorney to exit the courtroom through a side door located near the jury box. This door led to a private hallway and subsequently to the public area outside the courthouse.

A DEA agent witnessed Flores-Ruiz and his attorney entering an elevator and joined them, alerting other members of the arrest team. Flores-Ruiz exited the elevator and was confronted by two agents outside the courthouse, leading to a foot chase. The complaint details how the agents pursued Flores-Ruiz for the entire length of the courthouse before finally apprehending him near the intersection of West State Street and North 10th Street. He was then handcuffed and detained.

Federal records indicate that Flores-Ruiz was charged on April 24th with illegal re-entry into the United States. During a federal court appearance on the same day, his attorney mentioned that a judge had assisted his client and that Flores-Ruiz was acting on the advice of his state attorney. Court minutes revealed that Flores-Ruiz, who has been working as a cook, had been residing in Milwaukee for approximately 12 years. He is currently listed as being in ICE custody at the Dodge Detention Facility in Juneau.

Judge Hannah Dugan Makes Brief Federal Court Appearance

On April 25th, the day of her arrest, Judge Hannah Dugan made a brief appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen C. Dries in a packed federal courtroom. She did not make any public statements during the hearing. When asked if prosecutors were seeking detention, they indicated they were not, and Judge Dries stated that he did not believe the charges were “eligible” for detention.

At the conclusion of the hearing, Hannah Dugan’s attorney, Craig Mastantuono, told the court, “Judge Dugan wholeheartedly regrets and protests her arrest. It was not made in the interest of public safety.” Judge Hannah Dugan is now being represented by former U.S. Attorney Steve Biskupic.

Hannah Dugan appeared in federal court just over two hours after her arrest at the county courthouse at approximately 8 a.m. Despite initially being in federal custody, she was not wearing a jumpsuit but instead appeared in a black dress with white flowers. Federal prosecutors Kelly Watzka and Keith Alexander declined to comment as they left the courtroom following the brief hearing.

National Reaction to Dugan’s Arrest

The arrest of Hannah Dugan has ignited a national conversation, drawing reactions from prominent figures across the political spectrum.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi took to X (formerly Twitter) to confirm the arrest, stating, “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 @ICEgov.”

Earlier, FBI Director Kash Patel also posted, deleted, and then reposted a tweet regarding the arrest, writing, “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. 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.” Multiple Milwaukee County judges corroborated that the arrest occurred at the courthouse.

Franklyn Gimbel, a well-known Milwaukee defense attorney and former federal prosecutor, expressed strong disapproval of the arrest, calling it “outrageous.” He argued, “A person who is a judge, who has a residence who has no problem being found, should not be arrested, if you will, like some common criminal. And I’m shocked and surprised that the U.S. Attorney’s Office or the FBI would not have invited her to show up and accept process if they’re going to charge her with a crime.”

U.S. Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin described the arrest as an example of governmental overreach by the Trump administration. Similarly, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson condemned the move as “ham-handed,” “haphazard,” and more about “showboating” than genuine public safety. He warned of the potential “chilling effect” on individuals participating in judicial proceedings, not only in Milwaukee but across Wisconsin and the United States.

In contrast, Republican Senator Ron Johnson, Wisconsin’s senior Republican, advised everyone to cooperate with federal law enforcement and avoid endangering them or the public by obstructing efforts to arrest criminals and illegal aliens. GOP Rep. Tom Tiffany, a potential gubernatorial candidate in 2026, echoed this sentiment on X, stating, “If you help illegal aliens evade arrest, you will be arrested.” Tiffany also referenced a previous memo from Democratic Governor Tony Evers regarding interactions with ICE, suggesting state employees should now “think twice” before following such guidance.

On Friday, a group of protesters gathered outside the federal courthouse in downtown Milwaukee, chanting slogans like “No justice, no peace. Let the judge be released.” Some held signs expressing support for the judge and criticizing the Trump administration. The protesters eventually linked arms in front of the courthouse doors and vowed to return.

Background on the Undocumented Defendant

The complaint reveals that federal officials used biometric fingerprint comparisons to determine that Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, who was scheduled to appear before Judge Hannah Dugan on April 18th, had been deported from the United States in 2013. ICE officials obtained an arrest warrant for Flores-Ruiz on April 17th.

Records indicate that on the morning of April 18th, Dugan had 25 cases on her docket, with Flores-Ruiz’s case set for 8:30 a.m. He does not appear to have any prior state or federal criminal offenses or charges beyond the current misdemeanor battery accusations.

According to his criminal complaint, Flores-Ruiz is charged with three counts of misdemeanor battery, including domestic violence modifiers that could lead to enhanced penalties if he is convicted. These charges stem from an alleged altercation on March 12th involving two roommates at a residence on West Vliet Street. The complaint alleges that Flores-Ruiz punched another person multiple times and then struck a woman who intervened. Each Class A misdemeanor carries a maximum penalty of nine months in jail and a $10,000 fine.

The arrest of Hannah Dugan marks a significant and unusual event, raising questions about the separation of powers, the role of judges in the context of federal immigration enforcement, and the potential implications for the administration of justice. The legal proceedings against Judge Hannah Dugan will undoubtedly be closely watched as they unfold.

FAQs on Shocking Arrest: Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan Accused of Aiding Undocumented Immigrant

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