Wisconsin Judge Faces Trial for Alleged Obstruction of ICE Arrest

Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan is currently on trial, facing federal charges for allegedly aiding an undocumented immigrant in evading arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at the county courthouse. The trial commenced on December 11, 2025, following jury selection.

Dugan is charged with one count of obstructing a proceeding, a felony, and one count of concealing an individual to prevent arrest, a misdemeanor. If convicted, she could face up to six years in prison. She has pleaded not guilty to both charges.

The charges stem from an incident on April 18, 2025, when ICE agents sought to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national, for being in the U.S. unlawfully. Flores-Ruiz was appearing before Judge Dugan on misdemeanor domestic assault charges. Prosecutors allege that Dugan directed ICE agents to leave the hallway and go to the chief judge's office, and subsequently allowed Flores-Ruiz and his attorney to exit the courtroom through a non-public door, thereby facilitating his avoidance of arrest. Flores-Ruiz was later apprehended outside the courthouse and has since been deported.

Dugan's defense argues that she was following draft protocols issued by the chief judge, which required referring ICE agents to a supervisor. They contend that she acted within her judicial duties and did not intend to obstruct federal agents.

The case has garnered national attention, highlighting tensions between federal immigration enforcement and local judicial authority. Critics view the prosecution as part of the Trump administration's efforts to suppress judicial dissent on immigration enforcement.

Legal experts note that the trial will scrutinize complex questions of judicial immunity, courtroom protocols, and federal enforcement policies. The outcome may have significant implications for the balance between federal authority and state judicial independence.