FBI’s Arrest Of Milwaukee Judge Explained: Agents Claim She Helped Immigrant Evade ICE Arrest(Live Updates)

25 Apr 2025 by Ty Roush · Forbes

Topline

Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested by the FBI on Friday for allegedly trying to help an undocumented immigrant avoid arrest after he appeared in her courtroom, agency officials allege in court documents, prompting criticism from Democrats who claim the Trump administration exceeded its authority.

Key Facts

Dugan, 65, was arrested by the FBI early Friday and charged with obstructing or impeding a proceeding before a department or agency of the U.S. and with concealing an individual to prevent his discovery or arrest, according to court filings in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

Dugan was later released on an unspecified bond and is scheduled to appear for an arraignment on May 15, court filings show, as she faces up to six years in prison and a fine up to $350,000.

Dugan denied the claims in a statement to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel earlier this week.

An affidavit filed Thursday accused Dugan of helping Eduardo Flores-Ruiz resist an arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on April 18, when Flores-Ruiz was scheduled to appear in Dugan’s courtroom.

When Dugan learned ICE agents were present in the courthouse to arrest Flores-Ruiz that day, she told the agents to meet with Chief Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Carl Ashley first; meanwhile, Dugan took Flores-Ruiz out of her courtroom through a side door, according to the complaint.

Dugan’s arrest was first announced in a since-deleted post on X by FBI Director Kash Patel, who claimed Dugan “intentionally misdirected” federal agents away from Flores-Ruiz and claimed her “obstruction created increased danger to the public.”

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What Have Democrats Said About Dugan’s Arrest?

Several Democrats responded with criticism over Dugan’s arrest. After White House adviser Stephen Miller accused Dugan of “extremely grave crimes,” Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., said Dugan’s arrest is a “gravely serious and drastic move” by the Trump administration that “threatens to breach” a system of checks and balances. Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., said she shared Baldwin’s “serious concerns” about Dugan’s arrest. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said in a statement Dugan’s arrest by the FBI accounts for a “drastic escalation and dangerous new front in Trump’s authoritarian campaign.” Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del., accused the Trump administration of “relentlessly attacking the judicial system to stifle opposition and get their way.” Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., said Dugan’s arrest is “what happens in authoritarian countries.” Sen. Amy Klobuchar said the incident “is a drastic move that threatens the rule of law.”

Crucial Quote

Speaking on Fox News around 1 p.m. EDT, Attorney General Pam Bondi—who confirmed Dugan’s arrest in a post on X—said: “What has happened to our judiciary is beyond me ... they are deranged ... we are sending a very strong message today, if you are harboring a fugitive we don’t care who you are ... we will come after you and we will prosecute you.”

Contra

Other judges and former officials at the Milwaukee County Courthouse have questioned whether ICE officials presented the correct type of warrant at the time. Judge Marisabel Cabrera told the Journal Sentinel that ICE agents presented an administrative warrant, not a judicial warrant, which would have allowed officials to enter the court and issue an arrest.

Key Background

The FBI launched an investigation into Dugan earlier this week, days after ICE agents reportedly entered her courthouse to arrest Flores-Ruiz. Ashley told the Journal Sentinel the ICE agents were asked to wait until a hearing between Dugan and Flores-Ruiz concluded. During the hearing, Dugan directed Flores-Ruiz and his attorney to a side door in the courtroom and down a private hallway to a public area on the courthouse’s sixth floor. Flores-Ruiz was arrested by ICE agents outside the courthouse, according to the affidavit. Dugan, a Milwaukee native, has served as a Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge for nine years and previously served as president of the Milwaukee Bar Association. She ran unopposed in the 2022 election.

Tangent

Dugan’s arrest comes after the Justice Department warned in January that prosecutors would investigate state or local officials they believed “threaten to impede” the Trump administration’s immigration efforts. Shortly after President Donald Trump’s inauguration, the White House said the “largest deportation operation” in U.S. history was underway, though efforts have often faced challenges in court.