Judge Caught Helping Immigrant Evade ICE Sentenced

A judges gavel poised to strike a sound block

A Milwaukee judge has become a convicted felon after helping an illegal immigrant slip past ICE inside her own courthouse, shattering public trust in the very bench meant to uphold the law.

Story Snapshot

A Milwaukee County judge was convicted of felony obstruction for interfering with an ICE arrest inside her courtroom’s corridor.
Jurors found she used a private jury door to help an illegal immigrant temporarily evade federal agents.
The case is believed to be the first federal conviction of a sitting state judge for obstructing immigration enforcement.
The ruling sends a clear warning to activist officials who put politics above enforcing immigration law.

Judge’s Secret Exit Plan Backfires in Federal Court

Federal jurors in Milwaukee concluded that Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan crossed a bright legal line when she inserted herself into an ICE operation targeting undocumented Mexican national Eduardo Flores-Ruiz at the Milwaukee County Courthouse. According to sworn testimony and trial evidence, Dugan confronted federal agents waiting in a public hallway, directed them toward the chief judge’s office, then rushed Flores-Ruiz’s case and moved him through a non-public jury door, away from the agents who had come to detain him.

Agents later spotted Flores-Ruiz elsewhere in the courthouse, followed him outside, and ultimately arrested him after a brief chase, but federal prosecutors argued the damage was done. A jury agreed, finding Dugan guilty of obstructing a federal proceeding under 18 U.S.C. §1505, while acquitting her on a separate charge of concealing a person from arrest. The felony verdict capped a four-day trial and roughly six hours of deliberations, leaving the long-serving judge facing the end of her judicial career.

How an ICE Courthouse Arrest Became a National Test Case

The underlying incident occurred during the Trump-era push to carry out immigration arrests in and around courthouses, where federal officials believed they could safely locate individuals already in the justice system. Immigration activists and some state judges condemned the strategy, claiming it discouraged migrants from appearing as defendants or witnesses. In this tense environment, Milwaukee became another flashpoint, with local advocacy groups criticizing ICE presence even as federal law treats immigration enforcement as a core national authority.

On the day of the arrest, ICE had already identified Flores-Ruiz as a target and stationed agents in the hallway outside Dugan’s courtroom. Trial evidence described how Dugan learned about the operation, confronted officers, and then adjusted courtroom logistics in ways prosecutors said were designed to shield Flores-Ruiz. An FBI agent’s sworn statement reported that Dugan not only used the private jury door but personally escorted the defendant and his attorney into a non-public area, later being overheard saying she would “take the heat” for what she had done.

Judicial Immunity Rejected and Public Confidence Shaken

After her April arrest, Dugan attempted to derail the federal case by arguing judicial immunity, claiming her choices about how to move parties in and out of the courtroom were part of her official duties. Federal courts rejected that defense, ruling that judicial authority over courtroom management does not extend to obstructing federal law enforcement. The Wisconsin Supreme Court quickly suspended her from the bench, reassigning her docket to a reserve judge while the criminal case moved forward and protests erupted outside the courthouse.

The guilty verdict now raises serious questions about judicial ethics and accountability in an era when some officials have treated immigration enforcement as optional. For many conservatives, the case embodies a broader frustration: a judge sworn to uphold the law allegedly manipulated courthouse procedures to benefit someone in the country illegally. That kind of activism from the bench undermines faith in equal justice and signals to law-abiding citizens that ideology, not statute, can decide who is protected and who is pursued.

What the Conviction Means for Immigration Enforcement and the Rule of Law

Dugan faces up to five years in federal prison for felony obstruction, though sentencing guidelines and her lack of prior criminal history may lead to a lesser term. Even so, a felony record almost certainly ends her judicial service and may imperil her law license. Flores-Ruiz, the man at the center of the drama, was ultimately deported, underscoring that the judge’s intervention did not change the legal outcome for him, only the legal consequences for herself and the message sent to other officials.

For ICE and the Justice Department, the conviction is a powerful deterrent signal to any state or local official tempted to convert personal politics into physical interference with federal agents. For conservatives focused on border security, it is also a reminder that immigration law is only as strong as the judges and public servants willing to enforce it. When a sitting judge uses hidden exits and inside access to frustrate that enforcement, it threatens the rule of law that protects every American family.