A former Wisconsin judge, Hannah Dugan, was fined $5,000 for obstructing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Dugan, 67, had helped an illegal immigrant, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, evade arrest by ushering him through her jury room door.

Background

Dugan, who resigned as a Milwaukee County circuit judge in January, was convicted of felony obstruction in December. Her lawyers argued that she was following protocols that called for court employees to report any immigration agents to their supervisors.

On April 18, 2025, ICE agents went to the Milwaukee County courthouse to arrest Flores-Ruiz, who had reentered the country illegally. Dugan confronted the agents outside her courtroom and directed them to the chief judge’s office, saying their administrative warrant wasn’t sufficient to arrest Flores-Ruiz.

After the agents left, Dugan led Flores-Ruiz and his attorney out a private jury door. The ICE agents spotted Flores-Ruiz in the corridor, followed him outside, and arrested him after a foot chase.

Consequences

Dugan’s actions were deemed a serious offense by the court, and she was fined $5,000. The judge, Lynn Adelman, said that Dugan’s actions interfered with the lawful responsibilities of law enforcement officers and created unnecessary risks for all involved.

Dugan’s lawyers argued that she had been punished enough and should not be sentenced to any jail time beyond the hours she spent in federal custody. However, the court found that her actions warranted a serious sentence.

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.