Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested by the FBI on April 25, 2025, facing federal charges of obstruction of justice and concealing an individual to prevent arrest. The charges stem from an incident on April 18, when Judge Dugan allegedly assisted Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an undocumented Mexican immigrant, in evading detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at the Milwaukee County Courthouse.

According to federal prosecutors, on April 18, Flores-Ruiz was scheduled to appear before Judge Dugan on felony battery charges. During the proceedings, a state public defender informed Judge Dugan that ICE agents were present in the courthouse intending to detain Flores-Ruiz. Judge Dugan allegedly confronted the agents, directing them to the chief judge's office. Subsequently, she postponed Flores-Ruiz's hearing and escorted him and his attorney through a private exit, allowing him to temporarily evade arrest. Flores-Ruiz was later apprehended outside the courthouse following a foot chase.

FBI Director Kash Patel announced the arrest, stating, "We believe Judge Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse... allowing the subject—an illegal alien—to evade arrest." He added that the judge's actions "created increased danger to the public."

Judge Dugan appeared in federal court on April 25 and was charged with obstruction of justice and concealing an individual to prevent arrest. She was released on her own recognizance, with her next court appearance scheduled for May 15.

The arrest has intensified tensions between the Trump administration and the judiciary over immigration enforcement. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers criticized the arrest, stating, "In this country, people who are suspected of criminal wrongdoing are innocent until their guilt is proven beyond reasonable doubt... Unfortunately, we have seen in recent months the president and the Trump Administration repeatedly use dangerous rhetoric to attack and attempt to undermine our judiciary at every level."

U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin expressed concern over the implications for judicial independence, saying, "The President’s administration arresting a sitting judge is a gravely serious and drastic move, and it threatens to breach those very separations of power." Similarly, Representative Gwen Moore described the arrest as having "all the hallmarks of overreach" and expressed alarm at the "increasingly lawless actions of the Trump Administration."

Conversely, Republican Representative Glenn Grothman condemned Judge Dugan's actions, stating, "This disgraceful conduct undermines the rule of law, jeopardizes public safety, and sends the message that political ideology comes before justice." He emphasized the importance of enforcing immigration laws and holding public officials accountable.

Judge Dugan, 65, has served on the Milwaukee County Circuit Court since 2016 and was re-elected in 2022. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1987 and has a background in legal aid organizations, including serving as the executive director of Catholic Charities of Southeastern Wisconsin. She has also served as president of the Milwaukee Bar Association.

Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, 29, has a criminal history that includes charges of strangulation and suffocation, battery, and domestic abuse. He was previously deported in 2013 and re-entered the United States illegally.

This incident highlights the ongoing conflict between federal immigration enforcement and local judicial actions. The Trump administration has been assertive in its immigration policies, often clashing with local jurisdictions and the judiciary. The arrest of a sitting judge for allegedly obstructing federal immigration enforcement is unprecedented and raises questions about the balance of power between federal authorities and the judiciary.

As the legal proceedings against Judge Dugan unfold, the case is likely to have significant implications for the relationship between federal authorities and the judiciary, particularly concerning the enforcement of immigration laws within court facilities.