Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan moved to dismiss the case against her one day after a federal grand jury indicted her on two counts for obstructing an ICE arrest last month.
On Tuesday a federal grand jury indicted Milwaukee County judge Hannah Dugan for helping an illegal alien evade ICE agents.
Dugan is facing up to six years in prison and $350,000 in fines.
Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan’s indictment is something to behold
She’s accused of handling the illegal immigrant’s case “off the record” while making federal agents wait in another judge’s office
Then she allows the next court appearance by Zoom, to thwart @ICEgov pic.twitter.com/5IG6WTnREv
— Phil Holloway ✈️ (@PhilHollowayEsq) May 14, 2025
Last month judge Hannah Dugan was arrested by the FBI for obstructing an ICE arrest.
According to the FBI, Judge Hannah Dugan obstructed an immigration arrest operation last month. Dugan became angry when she found out that ICE agents were waiting outside of her courtroom last week to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an illegal alien involved in a domestic abuse case she was overseeing. She allegedly directed Flores-Ruiz to exit the courthouse through a private jury door to evade arrest.
FBI Director Kash Patel said Judge Dugan “intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested at her courthouse.”
The shocking criminal complaint detailed Judge Dugan’s actions to intimidate federal agents and how she helped the illegal alien evade arrest.
According to the criminal complaint, six Milwaukee ICE ERO Task Force officers arrived at the courthouse to effectuate the arrest “in as low-key and safe of a manner as possible.”
“The courtroom deputy explained that at approximately 8:15 am, FBI agents advised that they were working with ICE and were planning to arrest Flores-Ruiz. The courtroom deputy asked that the agents wait outside and arrest Flores-Ruiz after the hearing. The agents agreed and left the courtroom,” the complaint read.
While the arrest team members waited outside the courtroom, a female public defender approached and took photographs of the officers.
Judge Dugan learned of ICE’s presence and confronted the arrest team.
“Judge DUGAN became visibly angry, commented that the situation was “absurd,” left the bench, and entered chambers. At the time, Flores-Ruiz was seated in the gallery of the courtroom,” the complaint read.
The courtroom deputy said Judge Dugan was trying to expedite Flores-Ruiz’s hearing so she could quickly usher him out of the building.
It was later revealed that Judge Dugan adjourned Flores-Ruiz’s hearing so she could discreetly escort him through a “jury door” to avoid his arrest.
Now this…
Hannah Dugan’s lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the federal criminal case.
Dugan’s attorneys cited the 10th Amendment, official acts as a judge and judicial immunity.
“The government’s prosecution of Judge Dugan is virtually unprecedented and entirely unconstitutional—it violates the Tenth Amendment and fundamental principles of federalism and comity reflected in that amendment and in the very structure of the United States Constitution,” the defendant’s motion to dismiss read.
“Even if (contrary to what the trial evidence would show) Judge Dugan took the actions the complaint alleges, these plainly were judicial acts for which she has absolute immunity from criminal prosecution. Judges are empowered to maintain control over their courtrooms specifically and the courthouse generally,” the court filing read.
“Immunities aside, the indictment runs afoul of the Tenth Amendment and constitutional principles of federalism,” Dugan’s attorneys argued.
JUST IN: Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan moves to dismiss federal criminal case against her for allegedly helping immigrant hide from ICE. Her lawyers say she’s protected by official acts & judicial immunity and 10th Amendment. Doc: https://t.co/yOpntWbCZT
— Josh Gerstein (@joshgerstein) May 14, 2025
