The Wisconsin Supreme Court has taken the extraordinary step of temporarily suspending Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan from the bench after she was arrested and charged with two federal crimes for helping an illegal immigrant avoid arrest by federal immigration agents.
According to the federal indictment, Judge Dugan illegally escorted Eduardo Flores-Ruiz and his taxpayer-funded public defender through a side door in her courtroom after learning ICE agents were waiting in the hallway to arrest him following a court appearance on April 18.
This blatant attempt to subvert justice was thwarted when federal agents apprehended Flores-Ruiz after a brief foot chase outside the Milwaukee County Courthouse.
On April 25, Judge Dugan was arrested by the FBI inside the courthouse in full view of staff and attorneys. She made a brief initial appearance in federal court before being released pending trial.
FBI Director Kash Patel posted a photo of the arrest of Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan by FBI agents for helping an illegal alien with a domestic violence case in her courtroom evade arrest by ICE agents.
Patel captioned the photo, “No one is above the law.”
No one is above the law pic.twitter.com/TSrQ4GNMdA
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) April 26, 2025
Judge Dugan faces two federal counts:
- One felony count of obstructing a U.S. agency
- One misdemeanor count of harboring or concealing an alien to prevent arrest
If convicted, she faces up to six years in federal prison and $350,000 in fines.
In response to the serious criminal charges, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued a scathing two-paragraph order stating Judge Dugan is suspended from all judicial duties effective April 29, citing the need to maintain public trust in the integrity of the judiciary.
“In the exercise of that constitutional authority and in order to uphold the public confidence in the court of this state during the pendency of the criminal proceeding against Judge Dugan, we conclude on our own motion that it is the public interest that she be temporarily be relieved of her official duty,” said the two-paragraph order on Tuesday.
Milwaukee’s Chief Judge Carl Ashley announced her docket will be reassigned to a reserve judge, effectively stripping Dugan of any authority while the case proceeds.
BREAKING: The Wisconsin Supreme Court has just temporarily suspended Judge Hannah Dugan’s judicial powers. Dugan was arrested by the FBI for obstructing a federal ICE arrest of an illegal who was in her courtroom facing charges of domestic violence. pic.twitter.com/B0OGF3esQc
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) April 29, 2025
